Chocolate Week: Celebrating Cocoa Producers Across the Globe
13 October 2023
From the 16th to the 22nd of October this year, chocolate lovers across the UK will unite to explore the world of chocolate and celebrate the craftsmanship and effort that helps bring the famous cocoa bean from the tree to the tastebuds.
For us, chocolate week means much more than a sweet escape through taste and indulgence, it means an opportunity to share a deep appreciation and understanding of the producers we work with across the globe, who dedicate their days to cultivating the chocolate that many of us take for granted.
Read on as we share chocolate week themed activities and insights into each stage of the cocoa supply chain, shining a light on the people and the process behind our favourite product.
Learn about the cocoa producers we support by clicking here.
Ways You Can Celebrate Chocolate Week
Investing With Us
You can celebrate chocolate week by investing with us and making a direct impact on cocoa producers from disadvantaged communities.
Click here to transform lives and invest with us.
Bake Along to our Feed Me Fairtrade Video
You can also celebrate chocolate week by baking along with Sally as she uses Tony’s Fairtrade chocolate to create delicious chocolate chunk cookies inspired by Ivorian cocoa producer CAYAT.
CAYAT was formed in 2010, to unite cocoa farmers to be stronger together, and to tackle the deep socio-economic challenges in the region. They became Fairtrade certified in 2012. The wellbeing of farmers is at the heart of CAYAT’s vision, and the role of women is a big part of that.
The co-operative created a Women’s Society in 2015 to focus on training women farmers to play a greater role in the co-operative. The society aims to support women access land, and uses Fairtrade Premium to run projects so that more women can be financially independent, and contribute to household income and food security.
Members of CAYAT also attended training at Fairtrade’s Women’s School of Leadership and shared what they had learnt with other women in their communities. CAYAT are also one of the cocoa co-operative partners of Tony’s Chocolonely.
Tony’s Chocolonely launched in the UK in 2019 and is a key partner of Fairtrade, with aligned missions of working in partnership with cocoa farmers to build strong co-operatives, improve their livelihoods and become of a voice for change in cocoa supply chains.
Click here to learn more about the CAYAT co-operative.
Try New Chocolate
You could also try taste testing Fairtrade chocolates from different brands to discover new flavours and textures, or have a go at pairing chocolate with cheese, wine or coffee and enjoy a treat with a twist! Lidl have a wide range of ethically sourced products to choose from and a new bar of Fairtrade chocolate to help you out called 'Way to Go!'. Meanwhile, Aldi have collaborated with Tony's Chocolonely to create a new range of chocolate, 'Chocochanger', which is 100% responsibly sourced, adopting all of Tony's five Open Chain sourcing principles.
In anticipation of #chocolateweek, let us take you on a journey across continents – from cocoa pod to chocolate bar!
Get Involved with Friends and Family
Watch our Video featuring Captain Cocoa
We have a range of themed activities for friends and family to take part in. Join one of our Little Book of Fairness mascots, Captain Cocoa, on a journey to learn about cocoa and climate change through a short animated video. This is his favourite time of year (after Christmas!).
Click here to watch the short video.
Check out our Little Book of Fairness
Learn interesting facts about chocolate, such as how it’s made, the different types of cocoa bean and the benefits cocoa can bring to us. Get involved in the festivities and bake with friends, family or solo with our fun and easy to follow chocolate cupcake recipe! Or play games such as Spot the Difference and Snakes and Ladders with friends and family using cut out dice and counters!
Click here to download our printable Little Book of Fairness.
Get Creative with our Activity Pack
Click here to download our printable activity pack which includes a wordsearch, maze, equations and a colour-in Captain Cocoa.
Lastly, throughout Chocolate Week, we are committing each day towards each stage of the cocoa supply chain, using this unique event as an opportunity to shine a light on the instrumental people and processes that bring cocoa beans to chocolate bars, and chocolate bars to our supermarket shelves.
Learn More about the Cocoa Supply Chain
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Click here to learn more about the cocoa supply chain and read our blog.
