Photo by Pablo Merchán Montes 

Good Day Chocolate Only Uses Fair Trade Chocolate - for People and Our Planet

Mirror, mirror on the wall, what chocolate is the fairest of them all?

What Does Fair Trade Chocolate Mean?

You may have heard the term “Fair Trade” before but what exactly does it mean? Not all chocolates are created (or sourced) equally, and this is quite important: to you, to the good folks that help create that delicious cocoa, and to Mother Earth!

Fair Trade's Impact on People

When you purchase Fair Trade chocolate (pssst: we only use Fair Trade chocolate in our Good Day Chocolates), it means that the producers and businesses who create it adhere to strict labor and ethical standards that prohibit child labor and slavery. 

And it means that – regardless of fluctuating market prices – these cocoa growers receive a steady income.

With cocoa in particular, using a Fair Trade system guarantees that farmers are paid a minimum price for their product. Usually, farmers get a percentage of the price of the final chocolate product, which, in some cases, can translate to $0.50. 

Under Fair Trade standards, though, there is a minimum price that cocoa farmers must be paid per ton. So, they can either receive the market price or the Fair Trade minimum – whichever is highest.

When farmers are properly compensated for their work, it means there’s less need for child labor. Independent third-party organizations inspect these farms to ensure they’re adhering to child labor standards, and, in the event of an infraction, there is work done to examine and address the cause behind the problem. 

Fair Trade's Impact on Our Planet

Mother Nature is the one that helped make our chocolatey dreams come true, so it wouldn’t be very “fair” to leave her out of these standards, now would it? 

Fair Trade practices encourage sustainable farming practices and prohibit the use of GMOs, harmful chemicals and monoculture farming (which can contaminate water with pesticide runoff and can have a negative impact on soil and erosion). These standards also regulate the use of pesticides and require that they’re disposed of in a non-hazardous manner.

So, in conclusion, when you pick products that are Fair Trade, you’re supporting farmers, families, and our planet. Now, doesn’t knowing that make the bonus piece of Calm extra sweet? We thought so!