What do you know about the farmers who produce the cacao for your chocolate?
As chocolate-sellers there are a few things we like even more than selling chocolate. Of course, tasting chocolate would be one of them. But also: learn about the world of chocolate & teach people about how it works. That’s why we let customers ask questions, questions we send to the makers of the chocolates we sell.
The first question we got was by Paul’s mother, a fan of milkchocolate interested in the ethical side of chocolate and cacao. Do you also have a question for the chocolate makers? Contact us!
This blog is also available in dutch.
We have send this question to the makers of the chocolates we sell. And received a lot of answers.
The answer of Friis-Holm from Denmark
“90% of the farmers producing our cacao fin Nicaragua for the milk chocolate – are smallholders owning 1-4 hectares with cacao. The amount they are paid for the cacao they supply to us through a local company (that was originally part of the development project) is 3-4 times higher than bulk price – it is also approx. 2,5 times higher than what they would get if they were certified and paying franchise to be part of Fairtrade – Or to put it in another comparison – They get a premium which is at least 8-10 times more than the fairtrade premium.
But more importantly they get this for producing the highest quality – where “Bulk” and “Fairtrade” do not care and thereby furthers bad practice and cacao.
In Nicaragua and the whole of Central and South America – the living conditions are much better than in West Africa. Almost all kids go to public schools for 7 years. So when talking about empowering and making a better world for these poor farmers – it is in what possibilities they get – and this is tied up closely with what they are paid for their cacao. With our Direct Trade model – the kids of the farmers should be able to go to high school if they have the abilities for it – This is what I call Fair.
The Nicaraguan ambassador said that these 400 farmers would go from poverty in to low middle class as a result of our project.
But most importantly they do not get a better price because I feel sorry for them – but because they make a product worth the extra price.
Med venlig hilsen / Best regards
Mikkel Friis-Holm”
Answer by Mikkel Friis-Holm of Friis-Holm.
We have send this question to more chocolate makers, you can also read their answers.
