4 Great Reasons To Buy This Chocolate
Fairafric – Buy Ethical, Sustainable, Organic and Delicious Chocolate
I got to know Fairafric while sharing a co-working space with them two years ago. I saw the passion firsthand that drives the Fairafric team to make more than just great chocolate. They want to built positive, long lasting economic change for the communities in Ghana, Africa.
A few years after their successful launch, I wanted to ask about the visible impact being seen by the farmers and employees of fairafric in this part of Ghana, Africa.
Get to know the people behind fairafric and what drives them to improve the quality of chocolate as well as the lives of the workers in Ghana.
Where did your commitment and passion for social and environmental responsibility come from?
It all started with a question that bothered fairafric’s founder, Hendrik: Why is there such a huge gap between rich and poor countries? And why are so many of the poorest countries in Africa?
Hendrik realized that a colonial-style system still exists today. We continue to exploit the Global South to benefit countries in the Global North.
The trip that changed everything.
During a 2013 trip to East Africa, Hendrik met local coffee farmers. That’s when it clicked. What if agricultural products like coffee were processed in their country of origin? What if they were exported as finished products instead of just raw materials? The difference in value would be massive.
From idea to action
As a chocolate-lover, Hendrik’s attention fell upon the idea of producing chocolate from bean to bar in Africa. Many people told him, that shifting the value chain towards the countries of the Global South would not be possible. However, he started to explore possibilities to prove them wrong.
Why Ghana?
With luck and by knocking on many doors, a very important contact to Ghana was finally made. With the right partners to work with and with Ghana’s huge international harbour; directly located in the free trade zone, the shipping of the chocolate back to Europe should not be so difficult.
By producing in Ghana, we increase the local income by five times in comparison to „just“ buying the cocoa beans for a „fair“ price.
What kind of direct relationship do you have with the farmers?
We visit Ghana regularly to meet our cocoa farmers face-to-face. We tour their farms and spend time at the chocolate factory.
This close relationship matters. We can see firsthand that our work is making a real impact. We also learn about the challenges farmers face—and work together to solve them.
Coconut trees: A partnership in action
Here’s a great example. During one visit, farmers told us that coconuts are a popular snack in their communities. They also saw potential for extra income. It would make them less dependent on the often fluctuating price for cocoa beans. So we put our heads together, handed out the first saplings to the farmers, and now we are excited to see how this project evolves!
COCOBOD, a governing body that regulates the price for cocoa, prevents the exploitation of farmers. Great, but how is it you can pay fairer than the law allows?
We are lucky to be working with the cooperative Yayra Glover. It is the only cooperative in Ghana which produces organic cocoa beans in large amounts. Due to this fact, we are allowed to pay a premium three times as high as the Fairtrade premium. This special agreement has been put into place between the cooperative and COCOBOD.
When we choose to buy Fair Trade products, are we really making an impact? Are Fair Trade standards enough?
Fairtrade is better than conventional products. It’s raised important awareness about cocoa farmers’ struggles.
But here’s the problem: Even farmers selling “Fairtrade” cocoa still live below the poverty line. The Cocoa Barometer confirms this.
Fairtrade is a start—but it’s not enough.
Why direct trade works better
That’s why direct trade is gaining momentum. Producers and farmers build long-term relationships. Farmers develop new skills. Producers pay fairly and transparently.
Everyone wins.
Nevertheless, both fair trade as well as direct trade still focus on the farmers.
Why is having the whole chain production done in Ghana so valuable to Ghanaians and to Fairafric?
Paying farmers a fair price is important. But here’s the reality: The real money is made in chocolate production—not farming.
And usually? That money stays in Europe.
5x more value stays in Ghana
By producing chocolate in Ghana, we increase local income by five times compared to just buying cocoa beans at a “fair” price.
Think about that. Five times more money staying in the country where the cocoa grows.
Creating jobs beyond the farm
Chocolate production creates middle-income jobs outside agriculture—something Ghana desperately needs. It also builds local services and manufacturing infrastructure that didn’t exist before.
Changing perceptions of “Made in Africa”
Here’s what matters most to us: We want “Made in Africa” to mean high quality.
In our case, that means delicious chocolate. Eventually, we hope, Made in Africa will become the new normal instead of being something special. Only this way, poverty can be overcome in a sustainable way.
Fairafric Employees Benefits
How many countries do you ship to?
Our main market is the German-speaking market, with Germany, Austria and Switzerland. However, thanks to our crowdfunding campaign which made us well known all over the world (at least within the chocolate community), we also have supporters in Mexico, Australia or Canada. All in all, fairafric has been shipped to more than 50 different countries.
Where can I order my batch of chocolates?
You can order the chocolate online in our webshop. However, if you live in Germany, it’s worth checking to see if there is an organic food shop or „Weltladen“ (fair trade shop) selling fairafric close to you.
