Divine Chocolate
Divine Chocolate Limited, formerly the Day Chocolate Company, is a manufacturer of Fairtrade chocolate products in the United Kingdom and the United States. It was established in the UK in 1998 as a partnership between the Kuapa Kokoo cocoa growers' collective and the alternative trading organization Twin Trading; other supporters included The Body Shop, Christian Aid and Comic Relief.[1]
Divine Chocolate claims that its trading system is unique even in the sphere of fair trade, in that farmers own the majority stake in the company and share its profits. Its first product, launched in October 1998, was Divine milk chocolate. Since then, variations such as Divine white chocolate, flavoured milk chocolate, dark chocolate and drinking chocolate have been added to the company's list. Another brand, Dubble, was launched in 2000 in collaboration with Comic Relief.
Following The Body Shop handing all their shares in the company over to Kuapa Kokoo in 2007, Divine Chocolate Ltd is now owned by the following organizations:
- 45% owned by Kuapa Kokoo, a Fairtrade cocoa cooperative in Ghana.
- 43% shares are owned by Twin Trading, an alternative trading organization based in London.
- 12% are owned by Oikocredit, a Dutch microfinance institution.[2]
Divine Chocolate in the UK is available in all major supermarkets nationwide, as well as from the leading wholesalers. Divine Chocolate launched in the USA in February 2007.[3] In the US, Divine Chocolate is available in many natural foods stores, food co-ops, independent gift shops and in many Wild Oats Markets across the country, and online through SERRV International.[4] Divine was recently approved as a vendor for Nordstrom department store.
Divine Chocolate was voted Observer Best Ethical Business in 2008, and Best Social Enterprise in 2007. Divine was also voted Favourite Fairtrade Product by Good Housekeeping in 2008.
Divine Chocolate was a runner-up in the 2002 Worldaware Award for small businesses. The nomination recognized Divine Chocolate for "its courageous and creative marketing stance in favour of fair trade in the highly competitive chocolate confectionery market".[5]
The Organisation is endorsed by the British half Ghanaian actress Freema Agyeman.[6]
Divine Chocolate of Cape Neddick sells specialty chocolate items. The company was started in 2006 in Cape Neddick, Maine. Among the companies products are truffles, barks, clusters, turtles, almond butter crunch, sea salted caramels, non pareils and much more. They also make fudge and shortbread cookies. www.divinechocolate.net
References
- ^ "Not Just Heavenly, It's Divine". Sojourners Magazine. May 2007. pp. 30–35.
- ^ Divine Chocolate Limited (2007) Leading Fairtrade Chocolate Company Becomes Even More Divine. URL accessed on January 15, 2007.
- ^ Divine Chocolate USA
- ^ SERRV
- ^ Worldaware Business Awards 2002 - The Trade Partners Award for Small Businesses in Africa
- ^ Divine Chocolate Products
External links
| Core topics | |
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| Federations | |
| Certification | |
| Labeling initiatives | |
Alternative trading organizations | |
| Campaigns | |
| Media | |
