The 2021 roundup of the fairest chocolate bars in stores for World Chocolate Day on 7th July, includes organic, bird friendly, elegant classics, secret fillings, drool-worthy flavours and the smoothest chocolate.
Along with the joy of unwrapping your favourite Fairtrade chocolate bar and devouring, you can also feel chuffed that your choice means more power in the hands of cocoa farmers.
Love chocolate, hate injustice? The farmers who grow the cocoa in most chocolate bars we love to enjoy earn on average $1 per day, which isn’t enough to cover their basic needs. Cocoa farmers must also deal with the immediate and ever-increasing threat of the climate crisis. Even though farmers in countries such as Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana have contributed the least to the climate emergency, they are disproportionately affected and struggle with crop failure. Fairtrade offers farmers the safety net of the set Fairtrade Minimum Price and the Fairtrade Premium. Through the chain reaction of choosing Fairtrade, you’re supporting clean water, climate justice, medical care, education, gender equity and food security for cocoa farmers. Fairtrade also means environmentally friendly farming and supporting cocoa farmers to move towards earning a living income.
So check out these chocolatey treats laid out below in all their creamy viscosity!
1. Way To Go
Lidl’s Way To Go! bars come in four fantastic flavours (Caramelised Almonds and Sea Salt is the current favourite of the Fairtrade Ireland team). In addition to paying a Fairtrade Minimum price and a Fairtrade Premium, Lidl will also be paying an additional premium, in a step towards achieving living income for cocoa farmers in West Africa.
In its first year of sales in Ireland, the Way To Go! bar will benefit approximately 440 individual cocoa farmers, 25% whom are women.
Where to buy: Lidl
2. Exploding Tree
If you’re looking to support Fairtrade and local, Exploding Tree is the chocolate for you. Exploding Tree is a small Irish business and Fairtrade licensee based in Clonakilty. Exploding Tree is one of four companies creating bean to bar chocolate, and the only one of four that is Fairtrade certified! All of their products use 100% Fairtrade cocoa and organic coconut sugar and come in biodegradable packaging too.
Where to buy: Exploding Tree, selected health stores.
3. Maltesers
We all know and love these honeycomb-centred balls of yumminess. And they’re available almost everywhere! Look for the Fairtrade Mark.
Where to buy: Dunnes Stores, Tesco, Supervalu, Spar
4. Moser Roth
Aldi’s Moser Roth chocolate bars are one of our favourite FSI (Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient) cocoa products! Coming in a huge range of flavours try, from classics like Madagascan Vanilla and 85% Dark Chocolate to more exotic flavours like Chili (if you’re feeling adventurous!)
Where to buy: Aldi
5. Tony’s Chocolonely
Tony’s Chocolonely are a fantastic brand who not only make delicious chocolate perfect for sharing but are also on a mission to make 100% slave-free chocolate the norm – who wouldn’t want to support that?!
Where to buy: Insomnia, Tesco, Supervalu, Spar, Avoca, Brown Thomas, Fallon & Byrne, Easons, Fresh
6. Chocolate and Love
Chocolate and Love pride themselves on sourcing some of the world’s finest organic, ethically sourced ingredients to produce their award-winning Fairtrade bars. Their stunning packaging makes them the perfect bar of chocolate to give to someone special and they have a fantastic range of vegan friendly flavours for any of our plant-based supporters.
Where to buy: Nourish, selected health stores
7. Green & Blacks
Green & Blacks were one of the first Fairtrade licensees to start doing Fairtrade cocoa products! Be sure to keep an eye out for the Fairtrade logo!
Where to buy: Tesco, Supervalu and selected stores
8. Vego
All of VEGO Chocolate is vegan, 100% Fairtrade, organic, gluten free, palm oil free and delicious! What’s not to love?
Where to buy: Holland and Barrett, Nourish, Supervalu
WHY CHOOSE FAIRTRADE CHOCOLATE?
Choosing Fairtrade means supporting farmers with fair pay, enabling them to create better lives for their families and communities.
Hear from Bengaly Bourama on why Fairtrade makes a real difference to his community.
‘WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD A SCHOOL, ACCOMMODATION FOR THE TEACHERS OF THE SCHOOL, WE HAVE RENOVATED THE HOSPITAL, WE HAVE GIVEN AN AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL, ALL OF THIS WITH THE FAIRTRADE PREMIUM. AND WE HAVE A PROJECT TO BUILD THE HEADQUARTERS THAT THE CO-OPERATIVE DESERVES BY THE END OF THE YEAR. WITHOUT FAIRTRADE WE WOULDN’T BE IN THIS POSITION.’
BENGALY BOURAMA, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE COOBADI CO-OPERATIVE IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE