Conscientious cocoa: 7 chocolate brands making a difference

Lydgate Farms

Two-time recipient of best-in-world recognition at the Cocoa of Excellence Awards in Paris, France, Lydgate Farms is not only producing some of the nation’s most delicious chocolate, but they’re doing it in an environmentally-focused and socioeconomically-conscientious way. Fifth-generation farmers hailing on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, the brother and sister duo uses organic fertilizers and regenerative practices to grow sustainable cacao trees.

Chocolove

Chocolove makes organic and Fair Trade-certified chocolates with cocoa beans sourced from Rainforest Alliance-certified farmers.

The Colorado-based company’s products are also made with GMO-free, kosher and gluten-free ingredients. A member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), Chocolove is also dedicated to minimizing palm oil cultivation. 

Theo Chocolate

Theo’s bean-to-bar business model includes annual third-party verifications, stable pricing and business-impact transparency.

Founded in 2005, Theo was the first organic, Fair for Life-certified chocolate maker in North America and continues to advocate for the use of sustainable and healthy ingredients.

Beyond Good

Redefining quality and sustainability standards in the chocolate industry, bean-to-bar chocolate maker Beyond Good works directly with cacao farmers, cutting out the middlemen. This approach provides 100% transparency in the chocolate-making process and allows farmers to earn significantly more money. The company sources and produces chocolate in Madagascar and has started developing a supply chain in Uganda. Beyond Good’s products are Direct Trade-certified, USDA Organic, kosher, non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free and soy-free.

Endangered Species Chocolate

A Fairtrade-certified company, Endangered Species supports independent cacao farmers and their families in West Africa by paying Fairtrade premiums for cacao harvests. And with a commitment to supporting conservation efforts around the world, the company donates 10% of their annual net profits to organizations like the National Forest Foundation and Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. All of Endangered Species products are certified gluten-free, Non-GMO, kosher and Green-e made, and the majority are also vegan-certified.

Taza Chocolates

Stone-ground organic cacao beans are at the heart of Taza’s unrefined, minimally processed, organic products. The company maintains in-person relationships with growers and adheres to environmental and fair labor practices. Taza Chocolates is a Direct Trade business and publishes an annual transparency report.

Honeymoon Chocolates

Honeymoon Chocolates was founded in 2016 and specializes in bean-to-bar craft chocolate sweetened solely with raw honey. The brand was started because the founders, Cam and Haley, wanted to help stop the decline of honeybees in America and address the decreasing supply of cacao nationwide. (Cam and Haley also wanted to help consumers to remove refined sugar from their favorite foods. You gotta love that!)

Not only does Honeymoon give a portion of its proceeds to support honeybee research, it also purchases directly from beekeepers, which allows it to support apiarists and local economies. Another reason we love Honeymoon? Its packaging is 100% compostable — which includes sugar cane labels and sustainable paper stock wrappers.

Get Honeymoon Chocolates in the Feast and Field Shop: