US chocolate brand Feastables is now sourcing 100% of its cocoa from Fairtrade-certified co-ops as part of its ethical sourcing strategy.
Feastables was launched in 2022 by YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson – better known as MrBeast – who said switching to Fairtrade cocoa will help tackle child labour in West Africa.
“The status quo of the big chocolate sector means nearly half of all children living in cocoa communities in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are engaged in illegal child labour,” he said in a press release. “We created Feastables, and we’re going to use the incredible network of our fans to change the way business is done in cacao-growing regions around the world. I know we can create chocolate that people can afford and that also pays farmers fairly, so kids don’t have to work.”
Related: Fairtrade co-ops are better for forest conservation, says report
Around 1.5 million children aged five to 17 were found to be working on cocoa farms in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana in 2020. To address this, Fairtrade launched its Child Labour and Forced Labour Prevention and Remediation Programme in 2023, through which it is disbursing funds to successful Fairtrade-certified applicants for initiatives that focus on essential but often underfunded elements of strengthening children’s rights and ending harmful practices.
“Cocoa farmer livelihoods are on the line. Despite chocolate being a hundred-billion-dollar industry, most of the people growing cacao, the key ingredient in chocolate, live in poverty,” said Amanda Archila, executive director, Fairtrade America. “Farmers, especially in West Africa, continue to be excluded from their fair share of the profits and are struggling to adapt to the devastating impacts of climate change, crop disease, aging trees, and persistent price volatility.”
Fairtrade-certified producers receive a price for their cocoa as well as a Fairtrade Premium, an extra sum of money to invest in improving the quality of their lives.
“By partnering with Fairtrade, Feastables is leading the industry by example,” added Archila. “Feastables is taking their commitment a step further by paying the Fairtrade Living Income Reference Price, which will help farmers invest in sustainable production and support a fair living for themselves and their families so that cocoa growing communities can thrive.”
“It is an absolute honour for Feastables to be working with Fairtrade and for all of our chocolate packaging to include the esteemed Fairtrade certification,” said Alex Zigliara, CEO, Feastables. “Simply put – Fairtrade is the most relied upon standard and source for those looking to buy products that are ethically and sustainably sourced. We know this is meaningful for our customers and helps us to achieve our central purpose of getting children off working farms and into schools.”
Around six million people worldwide depend on cocoa farming for their livelihood. Around 450,000 cocoa farmers are Fairtrade certified.
