News & Press Office
Dominican Republic Visit
We can talk about fair trade and organic and ethical consumerism until the cows come home, but really, what does it all mean? What does all our well-meaning talking really mean to the cocoa producers, the guys at the start of the whole Chocaid.com chain?
To be honest I didn’t know the answers and I’ve been wanting to find out for a while.
So in October I fulfilled a long-held ambition and flew out to see exactly where our cocoa supply comes from. I wanted to really understand just what it meant for them to have us buy their fair trade produce, rather than go to another possibly cheaper - supplier. And almost as soon as I touched down in the beautiful friendly Dominican Republic I found my answer.
I met farmers who took such pride in their endless fields of cocoa plants, encouraged by the knowledge that they were going to get a fair price for their beans. Nor were the farmers just interested in their own returns. The sense of community is such that any profits left over and above a fair price are ploughed back into the local community to build infrastructure such as water wells, and roads.
Everyone on the island benefits from the fair trade policy and as a result, I sensed a real feel of optimism and hope for the future. I’m so proud that we at Chocaid.com are playing our part in this process.
For more pictures please see gallery
David Wilson
Chocaid.coms current outlets
Now available in:-
- John Lewis
- Waitrose
- Debenhams
Media Contact:
Graeme Whitcroft Telephone: 01327 830332 - Mobile: 07793980500
E-mail Address: gwhitcroft@serendipity2.com
