Verde Ventures - Divine Chocolate Limited

www.divinechocolate.com

The Project: Divine Chocolate Limited, formerly known as The Day Chocolate Company, is a United Kingdom-based fair trade chocolate company that sources cocoa from CI's Ghanaian Conservation Cocoa™ partner, Kuapa Kokoo. In a first for a Fairtrade company, the Kuapa Kokoo farmers also own one-third of the company, which means they have a direct relationship with the staff, an influence over how the company is run, and a share of any profits. Divine's products are available from select retailers throughout the United Kingdom and the United States. U.S. customers can also shop for Divine chocolate online.

The Deal: In May 2001, Verde Ventures approved an investment of $250,000 in what was then known as Day Chocolate for purchases of sustainably produced cocoa from Kuapa farmers at fair trade prices.

The Benefit to Conservation: While cocoa grown on plantations can be detrimental to biodiversity, Kuapa farmers working with CI's Conservation Cocoa™ program seek to increase yields of existing crops, reduce pesticide use, and diversify farms to ensure maximum shade in buffer zones bordering some of Ghana's most important protected areas. Farmers participating with Divine earn a better living and have the incentive to continue growing shade cocoa, rather than converting to more detrimental crops such as oil palm.


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