Chocolate Rainforest from laura Huisinga on Vimeo.

Organically Grown – Ethically Traded

In the context of raw cacao sourcing, we have longtime personal alliances with ethical suppliers of high quality cocoa beans. These beans are purchased on a free market basis from democratic societies which in turn allocate resources to local communities in an optimal fashion. We avoid countries whose economies are dominated by giant multinational chocolate corporations working with draconian regimes who willingly mistreat laborers in order to maximize profits for those corporations.

Santa Barbara Chocolate representatives work with agricultural organizations and local governments to ensure that the farmers who grow our cacao are paid fairly and treated most ethically.

Sourcing cacao directly from farmers creates a positive influence on local trading practices too. Farmers have come to see that in a free market, opportunity exists to receive the highest possible pay for growing the highest quality trees. We pay particular attention to how the cacao is grown and the environmental impact. Farmer CO-OP suppliers are also working to encourage organic growing practices and harmonious rain forest cultivation. Many of our chocolates are Organic, Fair Trade and Rain Forest Alliance Certified.

When cacao farmers are paid fair wages for their crops they quickly develop an interest in the future of the environment, a free market and a democratic government.

Knowing that there is a direct link between your happiness and the continued support of ethically traded, ecologically grown cacao will help guarantee a sustainable and happy chocolate world community with a bright future for us all.