A chocolate bar goes a long way in improving the conditions of Ghana farmers and their communities. Divine Chocolate, maker of gourmet chocolate bars that come in various flavors, has exemplified just that.

The London-based fair trade company is 33% owned by the very farmers who harvest it, organized under the farmers’ coop Kuapa Kokoo. Because of its stake in the company, this has translated to dignified livelihoods and improved communities for its 45,000 members who are farmers and women.

Kuapa Kokoo produces 10% of Ghana’s high-quality cocoa exports. It was formed following the liberalization of Ghana’s cocoa industry that opened opportunities for farmers to form their own company instead of selling it to state-run Cocoa Marketing Company. From a coop, they decided to invest in their own chocolate bar in 1997. With the support of The Body Shop, Christian Aid, and Comic Relief, The Day Chocolate Company was founded in 1998, which later changed its name to Divine Chocolate.

Heading Divine’s US unit is CEO Erin Gorman. Her appointment has fulfilled one of her lifelong crusades – the eradication of poverty. As a college student in Ursinus College, she had always pondered on how to bridge the gap between rich and poor. Her graduate thesis on prison reform at the American University drove her to conclude that poverty was the root cause of social ills. She later worked for Green America, lobbying for measures empowering Third World farmers to get fair crop prices.

Her current employment has allowed Gorman to actualize her philosophies by helping run a socially responsible company. Through her work and collaboration with the farmers of Ghana, she has realized that chocolate can indeed make a difference.

Gorman has observed that people often need a compelling emotional reason to convince them that change is needed. When other means fail, chocolate can drive home that message because “people are very emotional about chocolate”. All people have to do to make a change is to buy Divine chocolate.

Post Author: guest

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