We are aware of the problem related to unethical sourcing practices by cocoa suppliers from around the world, especially with tenant farming in Africa. This is why we have chosen to source cacao beans through Direct Trade relationships with trusted bean suppliers in Nicaragua and Dominican Republic.
Unlike fair trade, Direct Trade ensures we source directly from the farmer or processor who works with farmers, cutting out any distributor or co-op “middleman”. With Direct Trade, farmers and processors are not required to pay high annual fees and dues to out-of-country distributors and certifiers. Instead, all our cacao payments remain in-country, and 3rd party costs are lower, which means farmers keep more of the price as profit compared to fair trade.
We believe Direct Trade is a better, more sustainable business practice than fair trade because farmers enjoy the same price no matter how big or small they are. Learn more about Direct Trade here.