Cacao is the source of what we do at Conscious Chocolate which is why where we source it from is important. From the very beginning Emma believed that only the very best cacao, with the very best credentials, should be used to create the Conscious Chocolate bars and products. A cacao that aligned with our ethics.
Only the best cacao can be used for our bars, especially the pure dark as with cacao as the only ingredient, it really has nowhere to hide!
Of course, taste is paramount, and we hope you’ll agree that is is never in question however, the ethics are equally as important and that’s what we’re here to reassure you on today.
The cacao used for Conscious Chocolate ticks every ethical box and more. Emma spent a long time to discover cacao farmers who shared her ethos and who would complement the Conscious Chocolate brand. The result is partnership between us and trusted cacao farmers in Peru who hold their cacao up to very high standards, in short our cacao is:
Direct Trade
We’re often asked why we don’t display the FairTrade logo, the reason is simple. We practice Direct Trade with our cacao farmers and there is currently no logo for this. Direct Trade is actually better than FairTrade as we pay more per tonne direct to the farmers than we would if practicing FairTrade (where there’s a middle man). The result is the farmers receive a generous living wage and we receive the very best cacao.
Slave Free
Due to the premiums we pay, there’s enough money to go round and our cacao is slave free.
Organic
Our cacao is grown on agroforested farms, which don’t practice monocropping. Monocropping can have a higher rate of pesticide use, even when certified organic. Growing on an Agroforested farm means we’re not just organic, we’re super organic.
Sustainable
Our cacao is grown is designated biospheres within the Amazon rainforest which provide the perfect conditions for cacao to grow (some even grows wild it’s so ripe for cacao) and also ensures its sustainable and backed by the Amazon Rainforest Alliance (the badge will be on the website soon so you can be reassured of this at a glance).
The Only Peruvian Rainforest Alliance Cacao
Our cacao is sourced from two regions in Peru, Junin and San Martin. These are part of the Amazon Rainforest Alliance Cacao Cooperative which is the only rainforest alliance in Peru. Peruvian cacao sourced outside of these biospheres is not certified or good for sustaining the rainforest.
Fully Mapped
This means we know exactly where each bean has come from, while ensuring consistent quality across the single estates when sourcing our cacao.
Tested Rigorously for Heavy Metals
If you have knowledge of growing cacao, you’ll know that some cacaos are grown in soils that have a high presence of heavy metals that are damaging to your health. Our cacao is regularly tested for these metals at every stage of the cacao journey, from planting to harvesting to importation to ensure you receive the purest cacao. Anything that doesn’t pass the heavy metal test doesn’t make it into the UK, it’s as simple as that.
In a nutshell, we care about our cacao and will always use the most ethical sources without compromising on taste. Organic, sustainable, slave free and rigorously tested you can be assured that when you choose Conscious Chocolate you’re not only feeding your soul, you’re soothing your Eco-conscience too.
If you'd like to do even more to help the rainforest, visit our Plant a Tree page.