For just a couple extra dollars than your average American candy bar, you can purchase a delicious, fairly-traded gourmet chocolate bar that not only satisfies your taste buds, but leaves you feeling guilt-free about the labor that went into making the sweet delectable. Equal Exchange, a Co-op that sells various food items from chocolate, tea to nuts and dried fruits has been actively working (and succeeding at that) to create positive change over the last 20 years. The business began with the idea: “what if food could be traded in a way that is honest and fair, a way that empowers both farmers and consumers? What if trade supported family farms that use organic methods, rather than industrialized agribusinesses that rely on harmful chemicals?” Their vision encompassing “fairness to farmers” – a closer connection between people and the farmers we all rely on.
Two decades later, Equal Exchange is manufacturing heavenly sweet treats that benefit not only the consumer, but the producer as well.
Their line of organic chocolate bars uses cocoa from different cooperatives in the Dominican Republic, Panama and Peru, fairly traded sugar from Paraguay and Costa Rica, as well as vanilla from Madagascar. All these fairly traded and organic ingredients are then combined using Swiss chocolate making standards to make their ever so popular chocolate!
Their array of flavors include:
Very Dark Chocolate (71% Cacao)
Dark Chocolate with Almonds (55% Cacao)
Milk Chocolate with a Hint of Hazelnut (38% Cacao)
Dark Chocolate with Pure Cocoa Nibs (68% Cacao)
Chocolate Espresso Bean (55% Cacao)
Mint Chocolate with a Delicate Crunch (67% Cacao)
Orange Dark Chocolate (65% Cacao)
Panama Extra Dark Chocolate (80% Cacao)
With a substantial amount different flavor variations, you’re bound to find one you love! (that is assuming you’re a chocolate lover of course)
Once you acquire your chocolate, you may want to follow the “How to Taste Chocolate” to fully take in the texture, aroma and taste of the chocolate.
Would you like some coffee with your dessert?
Read about the Art and Science of Chocolate and Coffee Pairing
Equal Exchange plans to continue their thriving business supporting ethical commerce and economic democracy with their vision for the next 20 years:
“There will be…
A vibrant mutually cooperative community
of two million committed participants
trading fairly one billion dollars a year
in a way that transforms the world.”
You can find Equal Exchange‘s chocolate and other products at different Portland retailers such as Ten Thousand Villages and Global Exchange, as well as online at http://shop.equalexchange.com/
Tags: Chocolate, Equal Exchange, Fair Trade, Organic
This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 at 12:21 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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