WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

We can change all that...
There is an alternative, the choise is ours!

CHOCO FAIR TRADE:
The most part of cocoa in the world comes from Occidental Africa, like Ivory Coast and Ghana, but Fair-trade works with a small group of producers in Latin America, Africa and Asia. The first cocoa product of Fair-trade has been Green & Black’s Maya Gold that was a chocolate bar. From that moment, the fair-trade has begun to work in global confectionery market. Now 176,600 farmers are organized in 130 small producer organizations.


But how does it work?
The cocoa grows on trees, given that it needs hot and rainy climates, it grows in countries such as Ivory Coast, Ghana in Africa or Ecuador in South America, but the most part are produced in Ivory Coast.
The fruits of cocoa’s trees contain 30-40 seeds, which are extracted, fermented and dried in the sun to be converted into cocoa beans.
The Fair-trade standards include a Minimum Price and a Fair-trade Premium is added to the purchase price; the profits, a part of this Fair-trade Premium, are used by cooperatives for social and economic investments such as education, health services, processing equipment and loans to members.
Fair-trade cocoa producers received 9.8 million euros. About half of the money is invested in production and quality of products.

This e-movie shows how it works and the impact for the farmers.



Who is the largest importer? 

With the graphic, we can see that we are the largest importer and the Netherlands is the global leader in cocoa imports, is committing to use sustainable cocoa for all their products.

What is the impact for the farmers?

Fair-trade offers to farmers the opportunity to live a real living. The fair-trade cocoa creates a minimum wage for the farmers and their families.

One of the principal objectives is to improve profits from farmers through equal price for their products; given that the price of the cocoa in the market rise and fall constantly, the organization of Fair-trade has created a minimum price that correspond of 2000$ per tonne.

Also the Fair-trade organizations check the producer of cocoa to guarantee that the children are not exploited, to protect them and to guarantee their security.

Finally they forbid the use of dangerous chemical products. From the environmental point of view the plantations of cocoa cause some problems such as the reduction of the water and the contamination of the land from pesticides. 

The Fair-trade organizations must respect the environmental standards for example they must use the sustainable irrigation, reduce the carbon emission, make a secure use of pesticides (only legal) and the dispose correctly of dangerous garbage.

This collaboration between producers and buyers guarantees a benefit that increases the quality of the products, the training of the workers, the distribution of the potable water (in their community) and the construction of clinics and schools.

Where can you buy their products?

You can find them in all supermarkets like Coop, Auchan and Esselunga. Also the Coop brand personally collaborated with the fair-trade organization.

There are also specialized shops, which sell only Fair-Trade products like "Il Sandalo" in Saronno and "MACONDO" in Tradate. 

We want to present a brand that collaborates with fair-trade producers: MASCAO.
The particularity of Mascao is that it is produced with cane sugar Mascobado, whose taste is unique. The manifacture is artisanal and during the processing any residual acid is eliminated, making a uniform and velvety chocolate.

Mascao guarantees only pure chocolate, for the protection of consumers and producers. As in all of chocolate bars of Altroconsumo, the main organization of fair trade in Italy and among the most known internationally, Mascao contains only cocoa butter with no recourse to other vegetable fats cheaper and low quality.

Mascao supports small producers associated with:

• El Ceibo- Bolivia: Cocoa

• CONACADO - Dominican Republic: Cocoa

• Alter Trade Corporation - Philippines: whole cane sugar

Why should you buy the fair-trade products?

The fair trade products are controlled regularly by the organization and the respect of the standards.

Their prices are higher than the others because a minimum wage is applied to guarantee a better life.

The taste is not inferior to the other, in addiction chocolate is much healthier as they do not use chemical products.

The most important thing we can do is choosing: this is our power! We can change the conditions of children, forced to work in inhuman conditions.

Written by: Cristina Blanchino, Giorgia Napolitano and Letizia Gottardello