October marks Fair Trade month, the perfect time to up your intake of Fair Trade Certified products like chocolate and coffee. Not only are Fair Trade products scrumptious, but when you purchase them, you use your dollars to voice your support for human rights around the world. Take a look at these 10 delectable delicacies that use Fair Trade ingredients and then go out and make your purchase matter.
1. Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss uses all-natural, organic ingredients like coconut milk and agave syrup to make its line of dairy-free frozen treats. The desserts also use Fair Trade Certified coffee, vanilla and chocolate. www.coconutbliss.com
2. In addition to making scrumptious chocolate bars, Divine Chocolate is a Fair Trade pioneer. The sweets company is owned in part by the farmers of Kuapa Kokoo, a farmer’s cooperative in Ghana. The Fair Trade social premium that the farmers receive enables the cooperative to invest in schools, clean drinking water, medical clinics and women’s entrepreneurship projects. www.divinechocolateusa.com
3. Ben & Jerry’s, the ice cream maker known for wacky flavor combinations and tongue-in-cheek monikers, supports causes that protect the environment and encourage world peace. The company has also pledged convert to 100 percent Fair Trade Certified ingredients by the end of 2013. www.benjerry.com
4. An Eat No Evil philosophy ensures that consumers can feel good about buying Fair Trade Certified Angell Bars. The policy dictates that all of the company’s candy bars are made using ethical, responsible practices. Angell Bars are packaged in 100 percent recycled, 50 percent+ post-consumer cardboard caddies. www.angellbar.com
5. Dean’s Beans Java Drops are 100 percent Fair Trade Certified and organic. The company also supports the communities from which its ingredients are sourced through programs including health care, reforestation and overcoming gender violence. www.deansbeans.com
6. The Fair Trade Certified ingredients used in Kopali Organics chocolate treats come from the rainforest of Costa Rica and are grown by indigenous farmers with an emphasis on environmental sustainability. www.kopaliorganics.com
7. Nature’s All Foods makes the first Fair Trade Certified, organic freeze dried fruits available in the United States. The company’s products are raw, vegan and gluten-free, and they have no added sugar, coloring or preservatives. www.naturesallfoods.com
8. Through its line of organic chocolates, Alter Eco supports the developing world by using only Fair Trade Certified organic cocoa grown exclusively by small-scale farmers. www.altereco-usa.com
9. Larabar puts a different spin on the traditional energy bar market. The all-natural bars are made of only fruits and nuts. Each flavor includes no more than nine ingredients, including Fair Trade Certified cocoa, vanilla, sugar and cocoa butter. http://www.larabar.com/
10. Just Sweets bakes sweet treats to order, available as one-off gifts and monthly, twice-monthly or weekly mail order subscriptions. Delicious confections like sweet buns, cinnamon babka and chocolate chip cookies use Fair Trade cocoa nibs, sugar cane and vanilla beans. http://www.justsweetsdesserts.com/
What Fair Trade treats are you favorite?
About the Author:
Amy Carniol is a freelance writer based in New York City. To view her work or learn more, visit www.amycarniol.com.
