Have you ever wondered where the chocolate you love actually comes from?
As consumers, we often have no idea where our food comes from — but it's worth reflecting on the impact our choices have on the world and on other people. What better way to enjoy chocolate than knowing exactly where it was grown, and how ethical the supply chain behind it really is? Here is the reality hidden behind the market's most popular chocolates.
The Dark Secret of the World's Best-Selling Chocolates
Places like Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire in Africa are home to the world's largest cacao producers, supplying two-thirds of global cacao production. In these countries, cacao is responsible for 2 out of every 3 jobs. But as encouraging as that sounds — and despite chocolate being one of the wealthiest industries in the world — behind these great exporters lies misery and exploitation. Labor is practically free: most workers earn less than a dollar a day for heavy, entirely manual work. Slavery and child labor are commonplace. An estimated 30,000 children work illegally in the fields, because child exploitation is not a concern when the only thing that matters is keeping the cacao moving.
Working conditions are dire for the cacao farmers in these countries — who supply the giant companies that have cornered the world's cacao market, paying plantation owners next to nothing — and their living conditions haven't improved either. They live in extreme poverty, without fair or timely pay, without access to clean water or electricity.
The environmental toll is just as steep: forests destroyed and deforestation driven by cacao planting without any government support — more than 200 nature reserves lost. Farmers have no backing or financing, and no power to improve their working conditions or the prices of their products.
And although many chocolates now carry a seal on their packaging referencing a commitment to “ethical” chocolate production, behind it often hides just another business — where companies pay for the seal without making meaningful changes to improve the lives of cacao farmers.
Colombia: Quality Cacao and a Commitment to Sustainability
Colombia stands out worldwide for its cacao, recognized for its unique flavor and aroma. Ranked fifth among exporters of fine flavor cacao ('Cacao Fino y de Aroma'), Colombian cacao is distinguished by its exceptional quality, according to the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization). With enviable agroecological conditions, Colombia has land ideally suited to producing cacao like no other: 95% of Colombian cacao is classified as "fine flavor" — a remarkable figure when you consider that only 8% of countries worldwide can grow this type of cacao.
Colombian Cacao: More Than a Crop, a Social Transformation
In Colombia, cacao is grown under sustainable principles that respect the environment and create jobs. With around 65,000 producing families, Colombian cacao contributes to the holistic development of communities — and women play an essential role in the sector, representing 27% of producers. According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR), the industry generated more than 165,000 jobs in 2019.
Our country has 17 million hectares of potential cacao-growing land, cultivated under a sustainable agroforestry system that helps reduce the carbon footprint — Colombia was the first country in the region to sign the zero-deforestation cacao initiative.
In Colombia, cacao and its agribusiness have access to financing for holistic development. There are organizations that represent and defend producers' interests, such as FEDECACAO, the National Federation of Cacao Growers, and the Price Stabilization Fund.
They also count on support from the national government and international cooperation agencies, which has enabled the renewal of more than 12,100 hectares of cacao in recent years — increasing productivity and improving the quality of life of cacao farmers. Colombia has registered no cases of child exploitation, slavery, deforestation, or damage to biodiversity. On the contrary, cacao is also known as the crop of peace: thousands of families have transformed their reality through this crop. Government entities like the Ministry of Agriculture and international cooperation agencies such as USAID and UNODC have entrusted FEDECACAO with implementing illicit-crop substitution projects, changing the lives of thousands of families while contributing to the development of the agricultural sector.
Awards and Recognition for Sustainable Cacao
Colombian cacao stands out not only for its flavor but also for production that respects the country's flora and fauna. Numerous awards and recognitions back the quality and sustainability of this cacao, helping to change the narrative of the chocolate industry. Some of the awards granted to Colombian cacao include:
- Gold Chocolate awarded to De Olier Chocolatl of Salento in 2021.
- Best chocolate in the world at the SOFI Awards 2020.
- Cocoa of Excellence in Paris in 2019.
- Sierra Nevada 64%: gold medal in 2016.
- Tumaco 53%: gold medal in 2016.
- Arauca 70%: silver medal in 2015.
- Best origin chocolate at the International Chocolate Awards in 2015.
- Foreign Excellence at the Salon du Chocolat in Paris in 2014.
- Best cacao in 2013, 2011, and 2010, from Arauca.
- Best cacao in 2015, from Tumaco.
- One of the 20 best cacaos in the world at the International Cocoa Awards.
- Fine flavor designation by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO).
At Magno Chocolates, you can taste that difference in our exclusive Colombian coffee and cacao pairing box, with our premium varieties — Sierra Nevada 64%, Tumaco 53%, and Arauca 70%.
Presented in a luxury box, every chocolate in the collection has earned medals at the International Chocolate Awards. This is the best of Colombian chocolate, bite by bite.
Magno Chocolates invites you to be mindful of the chocolates you consume — to think about where they come from and what each purchase supports. Choosing sustainable chocolate means standing behind fair conditions, fair wages, and a dignified life free of slavery and exploitation. Choose consciously — every bite makes a difference.
References
Chocolate colombiano: alimento de los dioses. (2024, January 18). https://chocolukeria.com
FEDECACAO. (2022, February 28). Cacao colombiano, el más sostenible del mundo [video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjDHB6INwCE
Collins, C., Tenaglia, L y Caterini, J. (2018-2019). Rotten. Zero Point Zero.
