Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Fair Trade Chocolate

Because of Jacob's request - I have written a blog about Fair Trade.

Fair Trade is an organization that works to get more money for the cocoa bean farmers. Many cocoa farmers go hungry because of the poor amount of money they are paid for their cocoa beans. If big companies like Cadbury used “fair-trade” cocoa beans then a lot more cocoa farmers will stop starving and be able to provide for their families. As it is, these farmers don’t even get enough money to pay for the cost of producing the beans.

One of the companies involved in fair-trade is The Body Shop. They use Cocoa Butter made from coco beans produced by farmers who are paid a fair price for their produce. The Cocoa Butter is used in their range of mosturising products. The Cocoa Beans The Body Shop buy are supplied by Kuapa Kokoo Ltd in Ghana. The town of Sefwi Asawinso have used the extra amount that is being paid for their cocoa to build a day care centre providing educational facilities for the children in their village.

Choosing to buy fair-trade products is not an act of charity – the goodness of the chocolate, is enough to make you want to buy it over other brands. I think that it is DELICIOUS! So you are getting value for money and the knowledge that the people producing the ingredients are getting a fair price for it. Slave trade or Fair trade?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like fair trade chocolate - because I am not allowed milk and their dark chocolate has no milk in it and tastes YUM!

Anonymous said...

Nice post Hope - thanks for indulging me.

I love chocolate. It's good to be reminded and challenged about the broader issues surrounding our purchase decisions. Often the whole price thing stops us (me) from making better decisions.

Another of my passions - or is it a vice - coffee, is a big thing on the Fair Trade agenda too. Did you know it's the second most traded commodity (product) in the world? Oil tops the list.

Keep up the good thoughts and writing! :-)

Jacob.

PS: Seems like your level of linguistic maturity has surprised some readers...

Anonymous said...

Yes, I did learn about Fair Trade Coffee when I was looking at Fair Trade Chocolate. I think, perhaps, that I might study that next time.

Hope

Jem said...

Yeah Fair Trade chocolate is yummy, specially when kissing pieces of paper, aye Hopw ;)

Jem said...

AHH stupid speling mistakes.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Jem! It is really yummy - and I had lots of fun at Parachute Music Festival!