I’m one of those chocolate lovers who truly “needs” a small dose of dark chocolate almost every day. And while I’m concerned in general about sustainability and our food system, the prediction that there will be a major shortage in cocoa — and therefore chocolate — definitely grabs my attention.
Perhaps you’ve heard of the Mars company? They are the makers of candy icons in America such as M&Ms and Snickers. Mars has pledged to use 100% certified sustainable chocolate by 2020. This year Mars is on track to buy 10% of their cocoa from certified sources. They warn that unless more is done to promote sustainability in the cocoa industry, we can expect a major shortfall of cocoa in just nine years.
The Mars company’s cocoa sustainability drive involves 3 primary factors: Technology transfer that puts farmers first, innovations in agricultural science (like high-yielding and disease-resistant cacao trees and advanced agricultural methods), and rigorous certification standards.
If you are a chocolate lover as well, what is your “go to” chocolate source? Do you seek out chocolate that’s labeled Fair Trade or otherwise certified?
