Theonistas Unite!

Theo Sourcebook – Travels to Origin

Tanzania & the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), September 2011

By Nathan Palmer-Royston, Theo Product Development

Our Trip Mission:

Cocoa farmers around the world face extreme economic and social hardship and nowhere is this more true than in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania. About two years ago, Theo started working on development projects with local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) in these regions. Our latest whirlwind journey got us ever-closer to sourcing great cocoa beans and improving the lives of farmers. Areas with the greatest need represent an opportunity for Theo to have the most meaningful impact!

With the support and direction of NGO’s and Theo’s technical consulting, the cocoa farmers have organized into Farmer Business Groups (FBG) and have constructed Centralized Cocoa Fermentaries (CCF) to improve the quality of their beans.

 
One of five fermentation bins at the Wacota CCF (Central Cocoa Fermentary) in Kyela, Tanzania.

When beans are collected and processed in larger quantities and processed systematically, the end result is a cocoa bean with drastically improved quality and flavor. As a result, the farmers have a higher quality product that they can sell for a higher price.

Since the inception of our projects and the construction of the CCF’s we have seen the quality of cocoa beans from the same farmers improve by leaps and bounds. We think these beans will make delicious chocolate and they are ready for purchase from both regions!

Cocoa beans drying at the CCF in Kyela, Tanzania

On the Ground:

After 40 hours of traveling and coping with a whopping 10 hours of jet lag, I was finally standing under cocoa trees in Kyela, Tanzania enjoying my first taste of fresh cacao fruit. The sweet mucilage brought hints of mango and pineapple to mind. The hot humid equatorial air made the grey skies and mild temperatures of Seattle feel thousands of miles away.

My first smell and taste of fresh cacao!

During our conversations with different Tanzanian farmer groups (all through a translator, Joe [Founder & CEO] and I aren’t practiced on our Swahili) we discussed the benefits of improving bean quality, best organic practices for maintaining healthy cocoa trees, and details about Theo Chocolate’s mission. We want farmers to be invested stakeholders in our transparent supply chain.

Joe meeting with farmers at the Bukamu Farmer Business Group in Kyela, Tanzania.

One of the most surreal experiences of the trip for me was standing in the middle of the jungle in Congo, speaking in French, discussing bean quality and chocolate manufacturing with Congolese cocoa farmers. I never imagined that this was how my high school French classes were going to pay off.

Speaking French with farmers in Ndalia, DRC.

Of course, no trip to origin would be complete without delicious Theo Chocolate for people to taste.  Easier said than done. Keeping chocolate bars from melting in the middle of the tropical rain forest for days on end without refrigeration is no simple task. Somehow we managed to get the bars to our farmer meetings in cool, solid, bar form, but minutes after pulling the bars out of our cooler and passing them around, the chocolate turned to liquid in the wrappers. Liquid or solid, it didn't seem to matter to farmers experiencing their first taste of chocolate. Smiles all around.

  Tasting Theo Milk Chocolate at the Wacota FBG in Kyela, Tanzania.

Stay tuned for sourcing progress reports!

WORLD FAIR TRADE DAY IS COMING!

World Fair Trade Day is the largest Fair Trade event in North America. Communities around the country are celebrating between May 1 - May 14th, and culminating on Saturday the 14th.

As a certified Fair Trade and Fair for Life company, the concept of fair trade is intrinsic to Theo Chocolate. And yet, we recognize that most consumers are not as steeped in the concept of fair trade as we are. For this reason, we welcome every opportunity to share the fair trade concepts of social responsibility, promotion of fair wages and good working conditions and protection of human rights. We are committed to educating consumers and celebrating our mission and vision alongside our partners in the Fair Trade movement.

This year, Theo Chocolate has partnered with the Fair Trade Resource Network  to *sweeten*  World Fair Trade Day celebrations through chocolate donations for a wide variety of projects and around the U.S. A few examples:

The Villa Maria Community Center in Villa Maria, PA  - MAY 14th

Plowsharing Crafts in Saint Louis, MO - MAY 14th

Dalton High School in Dalton, GA - MAY 10-13th

Fair Trade Cities Missoula - in Missoula, GA - MAY 14th

We have already heard from Maria Louzon, who organized a World Fair Trade Day at the end of April on the University of Maryland Campus. Students sampled Fair Trade products and talked about their impressions. Louzon said "This really made me feel a sense of accomplishment because I wanted students to start a dialogue with others about Fair Trade at the event and this definitely happened more than once!"

In 2009, over 65,000 people took a "Fair Trade Break" by purchasing only fair trade certified products between May 1 - 14. This year, organizers are trying to increase that number to 100,000 participants! In another show of support, Theo will offer 10% off all Theo merchandise in our own retail store on May 14th. We are committed to continuing to promote the fair trade cause through our own products and educational mission, and to finding creative ways to help you join the movement! Don’t forget to take a  Fair Trade break of your own between May 1 -14, and remember, the choices you make as a consumer matter every single day!

FAIR TRADE CONVERGES AT THEO

The United Students for Fair Trade Convergence took place in Seattle a couple weeks ago. Theo Chocolate was very proud to host many of the producers here at the factory for a special tour. The participants were here from as far away as Uganda, Mexico, Nicaragua and one of our very own suppliers, Juanita Baltodano Vilchez, was here from Costa Rica. With the help of multiple translators we had a very spirited conversation about the complex processes of getting  raw materials from the farm to the grocery store shelves and consumers. I think everyone emerged from the discussion with heightened respect for all members of the supply chain. You can read more about Juanita & Theo Chocolate on the Whole Foods blog.

Jaunita Baltodano Vilchez in Costa Rica

"To Ecuador, With Love" An Inspiring Fair Trade Article from Utne Reader

Check out this inspiring article from the Utne Reader on the lives of workers in the Fair Trade rose growing industry in Ecuador. I also found this more sobering article on the modern slave trade.

Child Slavery & Child Trafficking in Africa,with Tim Costello of World Vision Australia

This report from last Easter is making the rounds now in honor of fair trade fortnight. I highly recommend giving it a look, it's quite visceral to see in video, what we so often read about in the news. (I wish I could beam a little of this video into the brain of every person who rolls their eyes at me over the price of Fair Trade chocolate.)

A heartfelt post about child labor in Ivory Coast from fellow Fair Trader Beth of Bambootique

Read her post here. Invisible Voices on the subject here. There is a serious side to what Fair Traders do and why they do it. If you are not moved by the plight of third world farmers and don't see the Fair Trade Premium as worth the cost, consider these moving stories of children in Ivory Coast.

Ivory Coast and its Exports
(quoted from Food Museum Blog)

• Ivory Coast is located on the southern coast of West Africa.
• Its exports include: cocoa, gold, rubber, palm oil, coffee, and tropical woods.
• The cocoa trade drives one-third of Ivory Coast’s economy.
• Ivory Coast provides 43 percent of the world’s cocoa beans. Ivory Coast is the top grower of world’s cocoa beans: 1,290,000 during the 1999-2000 growing season.
• There are approximately 600,000 cocoa farms in Ivory Coast.
• Ivory Coast is the world’s fourth-largest Robusta coffee grower (after Vietnam, Indonesia, and Uganda). Coffee and cocoa crops are often grown together, so the taller cocoa trees can shade the coffee bushes. On some farms, the same workers harvest both crops.

Sources: Knight Ridder; Port Import Export Reporting

On the brighter side

Here is a partial list of Fair Trade Certified Cooperatives courtesy of TransfairUSA, including Kavokiva in Ivory Coast and Kuapa Kokoo in neighboring Ghana.

 

Bambootique Trunkshow in Tualatin - Free Chocolate!

Beth and Tammy of Bambootique are hosting a Spring Trunk Sale Saturday May 3rd from 10am-4pm - which is wonderful in and of itself, but what's more, they are offering a free Theo chocolate bar to every new customer! Yummeh. Shopping a Sale + Fair Trade + Free Chocolate = PERFECT SATURDAY! Please contact Beth to be added to the mailing list and receive directions to the sale.

Plenty o' Love from Plenty Magazine

Check out this excellent article on ethical chocolate sourcing, featuring our own Joe Whinney. You can read more about the DNA mapping of our chocolate mentioned in the article here. Woohoo!

Join us at Eco Gift Expo December 15th & 16th

We look forward to seeing some fellow Theonistas at the Eco Gift Expo next month in Santa Monica. We will be at booth 101with all of our lovely holiday items for sale as well as individual bars to recharge your engines on the go, and of course, many tasty samples!

Reverse Trick or Treat

Our Reverse Trick or Treat was a grand success, and we loved having the opportunity to spread the word about Fair Trade and surprise and delight moms and dads with a little more "Treat" in return for their Halloween generosity this year. Our "kids in the field" reported that parents were completely taken aback at the reverse gifting, and responded enthusiastically to the Fair Trade message. Big thanks go out to Global Exchange for spearheading this amazing movement, and the Washington Fair Trade Coalition for their support (Thanks Stephanie!) We can't wait to participate again next year and reach out to even more people. Thanks to everyone who participated near and far, and all the bloggers out there spreading the good word.

Theo Chocolate Wins Eco-Epicurean Award

Food & Wine Magazine recognizes 5 Eco-Innovators in their August 2007 issue including our very own CEO Joe Whinney. Read the article online here.

Also check out this decadent recipe for pots de creme - I suggest trying it with Venezuela or Blend.

Fair Trade Gambit - Candy Industry News