Have you sought out fair trade chocolate before? Or have you wondered what the Fair Trade logo stands for? Today we’re diving into the world of fair trade chocolate and highlighting 7 Fair Trade chocolate brands.
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Hu Chocolate
It wasn’t easy to choose one Fair Trade chocolate brand as the best, because they were all so good, but Hu Chocolate really provided everything I would need for chocolate. From a simple dark chocolate bar, to more decadent chocolate with a filling (almond butter was my fave!), to even different baking chocolates. You will find you need (or maybe just want;) with Hu Chocolate!
What Is Fair Trade?
Fair trade is a choice for people and the planet. It’s a standard of responsibility that supports environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Farmers are paid a fair price for their cacao, working conditions are improved and the environment is protected in the process.
While a fair trade certification is a starting point, one of the criticisms is that it doesn’t doesn’t generate enough extra income to lift farmers out of poverty. For example, some of the income that farmers receive is designated for community development and there can be other people in the supply chain that receive a cut of the profits.
Hopefully with the growing focus on conscious consumerism, any discrepancies or gaps in the fair trade system will be discovered and rectified.
For chocolate, fair trade means that farmers are paid a certain minimum price for their cacao beans instead of the low price set by the market.
Chocolate Industry Third Party Certifications
Fairtrade – certifies that the chocolate is made with some Fair trade ingredients grown on a farm certified by FLOCERT, labeled by Fairtrade International. This label certifies that the product meets the rigorous social, economic and environmental criteria in the internationally-agreed Fairtrade Standards.
Fairtrade Certified – Fair Trade USA is the leading 501(c) (3) nonprofit, third party certifier of fair trade products in North America. A Fairtrade certification means safe working conditions, environmental protection, sustainable livelihoods, and funds for community development.
Fair for Life – The Fair for Life certification is a tool that encourages trustworthy supply chains, where stakeholders have chosen to act responsibly by implementing good economic, social and environmental practices.
B Corp – measures a company’s entire social and environmental impact including accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.
Rainforest Alliance – supports social, economic, and environmental sustainability, specifically, livelihoods, forests, climate, human rights.
Organic – no GMO’s, synthetic fertilizers, or certain pesticides can be used and at least 95% of the chocolate is organic.
The Best Fair Trade Chocolate Brands
Alter Eco
Alter Eco produces clean and green chocolate. All of their products are organic, gluten-free, without any weird ingredients and they use recyclable or compostable packaging. Their chocolate is grown using regenerative farming and fair trade farmers. Pretty impressive!
3rd Party Certifications
Certified B Corporation, USDA Organic, Fair for Life, Gluten free Certified, Compostable, recyclable and post-consumer recyclable packaging. Climate Neutral
Products Available
They offer a variety of delicious organic chocolate bars, truffles, and nut butter bombs. In addition to their chocolates, they offer organic heirloom quinoas and organic granolas (sweetened with fruit).
Cost
Bars – $4.49 for a single bar or $48.00 for a pack of 12.
Nut Butter Bombs – $9.99 for 9 bombs or $64.99 for 8 packs of 9.
Truffles – $54.99 for 60 truffles or $199.96 for a 4 pack of 60.
Granola – $7.99 for 8oz bag or $44.99 for a pack of 6.
Quinoa – $9.99 for single 22oz bag or $54.99 for a pack of 6
Review
I may have gotten a little carried away with taste testing with Alter Eco.
Sea Salt with 70% cacao – the dark chocolate is smooth and rich and the added sea salt is perfection.
Coconut Toffee with 47% cacao – one of my faves. The coconut is mild and the toffee gives it a nice little crunch and added flavor.
Classic Grass Fed Milk with 46% cacao – next level Hershey’s bar.
Brown Butter with 70% cacao – the tanginess of the dark chocolate pairs nicely with the smooth taste of the brown butter.
Truffle Thins with mint creme – I used to be a fan of Andes Mints back in the day and this is so much better. The chocolate and mint have a creamy coexistence.
Superdark Truffle – it truly melts in your mouth.
My overall favorite which is completely subjective, I know, is the Mint Creme, my mouth comes alive with every bite.
**To be noted: This is the only chocolate brand that wasn’t shipped with an ice pack and it did arrive slightly melted**
Theo Chocolate
Theo’s mission is to produce chocolate that allows everyone in the bean-to-bar process to thrive. This is why they provide stable pricing to farmers, provide full transparency throughout the supply chain process, and provide third party verification by undergoing a yearly audit to back up their claims.
3rd Party Certifications
USDA Organic, Fair for Life, Organic is Non-GMO, Kosher
Products Available
Theo offers bars, bites, cups, caramels, confection boxes, chocolate covered marshmallows, cacao nibs, chopped bittersweet chocolate, and drinking chocolate.
Cost
Bars – $3.29 – $4.49 for single bar to $39.48 – $53.88 for a 12 pack.
Cups – $1.99 – $3.05 for single pack to $23.88 – $36.62 for a 12 pack.
Baking Chocolate – $5.49 for single bar to $54.90 for 10 pack or $20.99 for single pouch.
Caramels – $11.49 for 6 caramels.
Confections – $5.99 – $41.99
Drinking Chocolate – $9.99
Review
While Theo has an assortment of chocolates, I tried their 70% dark chocolate almond coconut bites and their 70% dark chocolate bar. As expected, the bites were delicious and tasted like an Almond Joy and the dark chocolate bar was good, although the taste of Hu dark chocolate still hits the spot for me.
Hu Chocolate
Hu Chocolate created a food brand that replaces weird, industrial ingredients with healthier ones to help people get back to human.
3rd Party Certifications
Fairtrade, USDA Organic, Kosher, Vegan (except for organic grass-fed milk chocolate bar), Gluten free
Products Available
Hu dark chocolate bars have a base of three simple ingredients – organic house-ground cacao, organic cocoa butter, and organic unrefined coconut sugar. They make chocolate bars, baking chocolate, and now they also offer some snack options such as crackers, chocolate covered nuts, and cookies.
Cost
Bars – $36.00 – $79.00
Baking Chocolate – $33.00 – $34.00
Snacks – $24.00 – $49.00
Review
Well I got carried away again in my sampling of Hu chocolates but how can you not? They have clean, simple ingredients and satisfy all the chocolate cravings.
Dark chocolate chips – these no sugar added keto chips tasted delicious. It’s great to have chocolate chips without the added sugar and no weird sugar alcohols, instead they use organic dates.
Almond butter + almond crunch 48% milk chocolate – I’m a fan of almond butter so this hit the spot for me.
Cashew butter + pure vanilla bean 70% dark chocolate – this may be one of my new favorites, the added vanilla softens the taste of the dark chocolate.
Simple 48% milk chocolate – I normally prefer dark chocolate but this milk chocolate bar isn’t your average watered down chocolate bar, it almost has a hint of coffee to it.
Simple 70% dark chocolate – this is elevated dark chocolate, it has a slight edginess to it without being so bitter that it takes away the enjoyment of it.
Salty 70% dark chocolate – the only thing better than dark chocolate is salty dark chocolate – enough said!
Hazelnut butter + hazelnut crunch 48% milk chocolate – I prefer the almond butter + almond crunch bar but if someone presented me with this bar, would I eat it? Absolutely!
Hazelnut butter 70% dark chocolate – I prefer the hazelnut dark chocolate bar over the Hazelnut butter and crunch but I’m a dark chocolate groupie.
Unreal
Unreal has recreated some of our favorite chocolate snacks but with real, simple ingredients and less sugar than most chocolates.
3rd Party Certifications
Fair Trade, Gluten Free, Kosher, Non-GMO, Vegan
Products Available
Unreal offers mostly organic and sustainable chocolate bars, cups, and gems with all of the nostalgia but none of the nasty ingredients. For example their coconut bar is a “healthier” yet delicious version of a Mounds bar or their milk chocolate gems are a better alternative to M&M’s.
Cost
Bars – $28.48 for 2 bags – $59.96 for 5 bags, $38.94 for 6 bags, $33.99 for 40 bars, $26.99 for 12 large bars.
Cups – $33.99 – $39.99 for 40 cups, $39.99 – for 30 cups or $28.48 for 2 bags.
Gems – $28.48 for 2 bags, $38.94 for 6 bags, $26.99 for 12 pouches
Variety pack – $38.94 for 6 bags.
Review
Unreal is unreal in their ability to recreate some of our favorite chocolate snacks with less guilt! I tried the dark chocolate peanut gems and the milk chocolate gems, which reminded me of M&M’s, it was instant time travel for my taste buds.
I also tried the dark chocolate almond butter cups, which were delicious and reminiscent of Trader Joe’s dark chocolate sunflower seed butter cups.
The dark chocolate caramel peanut nougat bars were nothing short of bliss, I mean how can you go wrong with this combination?
If you’ve been pining for a healthier version of a Mounds bar, look no further than Unreal’s dark chocolate coconut bar.
If I want the satisfaction of indulging in a candy bar, Unreal is my go-to brand, because they taste like a candy bar but without all of the artificial ingredients.
Raaka
Raaka uses what they call a transparent trade model, which includes purchasing cacao directly from cooperatives and grower organizations, purchasing cacao at stable, premium prices, and publishing the price they pay for cacao on the inside of every Raaka wrapper. Raaka’s traceable, high quality, single origin chocolates are not only organic, but also gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free. It’s also worth noting that they regularly have their main products tested for heavy metals by a third-party lab
3rd Party Certifications
Certified Organic, Non-GMO, Kosher
Products Available
Chocolate bars, mini bars, gluten-free waffle cone bars, baking and hot chocolate
Cost
Bars – $6.00 – $8.00 for single bar, $17.00 – $82.00 for bundles.
Mini bars – $27.00 – $86.00 for box.
Waffle cone bars – $35.00 – $38.00 for variety pack.
Baking Chocolate – $12.00 – $16.00 for single bag, $22.00 for 2 bags.
Review
I was pleasantly surprised by Raaka chocolates, they have a melt in your mouth texture to them.
I tried the following mini bar chocolates:
60% dark chocolate
60% dark chocolate with coconut milk
71% dark chocolate with pink sea salt
58% dark chocolate with oat milk
My favorite was the 60% dark chocolate bar with the coconut milk bar being a close second. I had my Mom try the chocolates as well and her favorites were in the reverse order – dark chocolate with coconut milk then the plain dark chocolate bar. My Dad also tried them and he preferred the dark chocolate with pink sea salt and the dark chocolate with oat milk.
I also tried their Maple and Nibs dark chocolate bar (regular size). I didn’t care for the Maple and Nibs bar and neither did my parents. It has a bitter taste and the maple flavor seems to be overpowered by the cacao nibs.
TCHO
According to their site, TCHO is unique in that they have gone beyond simply purchasing cacao from origins, by partnering with cooperatives and investing in their resources. The key pillar of the TCHO Source program is their Flavor Labs, which allows them to co-create better cacao.
3rd Party Certifications
Fair Trade, B Corp, Non-GMO, Kosher
Most of their products are certified organic
Products Available
They offer 100% plant-based chocolate bars, baking chocolate, and more. Although not certified gluten-free, their factory in Berkeley, CA is a gluten-free facility and gluten is not used to make any of their bars.
Cost
$5.99 – $14.99 for single bar
$49.00 – $99.98 for bite-size bars
$16.99 – $84.99 for a pack of bars.
Baking – $7.99 – $118.99
Review
I tried the Holy Fudge which has a 75% cacao shell and a dense and fudge truffle center and the Toffee Time which has 53% cocoa with creamy oat milk and bits of toffee and sea salt.
They both have a creamy chocolaty texture, but if I had to choose just one, it would be the Toffee Time but I have a bias towards sweet and salty flavors!
Beyond Good
Beyond Good sources the best quality vanilla and cocoa in the world, directly from the farmers who grow it. They make almost all of their chocolate in Madagascar.
3rd Party Certifications
Certified Direct Trade
Most of their products are certified organic
Products Available
Beyond Good creates chocolate bars, single serve chocolates, melts, and vanilla. Their chocolate is single origin chocolate from Madagascar and Uganda and organic, gluten-free, vegan, and mostly soy free.
Cost
Bars – $4.50 for single bar or $48.00 for case of 12.
Bundles $24.99
Melts – $8.99 – $14.99
Single serve – $38.00 for 50 chocolates
Vanilla – $11.99 – $49.99
Review
I think Beyond Good requires a bit of a trained palate especially if you’re not used to single origin chocolate. I tried their Pure Dark 70% cocoa mini bar, Sea Salt & Nibs 63% cocoa bar, and Pure Dark 80% cocoa bar.
You can definitely taste the notes of red fruit in their chocolate. My favorite was the the Sea Salt & Nibs 63% cocoa bar. I had my parents try the chocolates and my Dad who loves his 80%+ dark chocolate actually preferred the Sea Salt & Nibs 63% cocoa bar and my Mom who hasn’t met a chocolate she didn’t like, enjoyed the Pure Dark 80% cocoa bar.
Fair Trade Chocolate FAQ’s
Although the Fair Trade certification can drive up the price of chocolate, more often than not, it’s the quality of the ingredients that affects the price of chocolate.
The Fairtrade certification doesn’t speak to the quality of chocolate or cacao beans. It’s a commercial standard for fair trade practices, working conditions as well as environmental impact for big manufacturers of chocolate
Fair trade chocolate predominately comes from Ghana, Cameroon, and the Ivory Coast.
Look for the following logos or marks on a chocolate bar’s wrapper:
-FairTrade by Fairtrade International
-Fair Trade Certified by Fair Trade USA
-Fair for Life
-Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa
The following sites can also be a helpful resource to find out what companies use fair trade cocoa to make their chocolate:
Slave Free Chocolate
The Good Shopping Guide
Fair Trade Certified
Fairtrade America
What’s your favorite Fair Trade chocolate brand? Share below!
If you liked this post, check out these past posts:
This may sound crazy but Sam’s Choice from Walmart has a great 90% cacao bar that tastes amazing. It’s not organic but it’s Fair Trade and it’s literally under $2
Hi Lori,
Wow, that is a great deal! Note taken- thanks for sharing 🙂
What about the new info on lead in the chocolate?
Hi Sharon,
Great point! I did read the study. I think it comes down to personal opinion and what you can handle for your body. I personally am ok eating dark chocolate. I don’t have it all the time and I eat a healthy diet otherwise too. There is lead in so many kinds of foods, I just don’t want to demonize one food just because of the study. I’m more everything in moderation. Also, the study was done on the darkest bars from certain brands, so I just would avoid buying those specific bars. That’s just me though!