Alter Eco - Chocolate that saves the rainforest!

It’s true: Chocolate can restore the rainforest and Alter Eco is showing us how! Most people wouldn't think twice about where their chocolate comes from and what kind of an impact their food choice is making but Alter Eco is leading the way in sustainability when it comes to chocolate. ​​

Each one of their products has been certified organic since their launch in Australia in 2005 (and prior to that in France) and they’re pursuing the pilot program for Regenerative Organic Certification which is a holistic and systematic approach to farming that gives back more than it takes. 
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Unlike traditional cocoa farming which causes soil erosion, deforestation and reductions in biodiversity and soil fertility, Alter Eco practices dynamic agroforestry. Wondering what on earth agroforestry is? It’s the interaction of agriculture and trees and is ultimately a method which mimics the natural evolution of the forest and improves the overall wellbeing of the cocoa farms. Agroforestry supports biodiversity, improves soil quality and reduces pests and diseases. ​

In an effort to ensure that sustainability and ethicality are always the core of their brand, Alter Eco: 

CHOOSE CLEAN INGREDIENTS  - Everyone has heard of the saying “we are what we eat” and that’s exactly why Alter Eco choose clean and natural ingredients. They pay close attention to everything that goes into their chocolate and trace every ingredient from the soil to the finished product. They only use whole, minimally processed ingredients that you can recognise and pronounce.

When it come to GMO, they are completely against it and understandably so - The process of genetic modification, which occurs inside a laboratory, typically merges DNA from entirely different species. It creates combinations of plant, animal, bacteria and viral genes which is far from natural or healthy. Even their compostable, plant based packaging is non-GMO!

INVEST IN FARMERS - At Alter Eco, they believe that strong relationships are the most important ingredient in every chocolate that they make. Because they work so closely with their farmers, the small-scale, farmer-owned cooperatives can invest their profits directly into improving the quality of their products and the quality of life in their communities. They work with their farmers on mutually beneficial programs and ensure that the work and pay is of the highest ethical standard.

​As stated on their website “That means the farmers have been paid a price that ensures sustainable production and living conditions, along with a premium to support the growth of the cooperatives and their communities. In a global food system where farmers often carry debt three times their annual income, Fairtrade provides concrete opportunities for a stable, prosperous life."

REGENERATE THE EARTH - Every single one of Alter Eco’s products has been been certified organic from the start, because they want to support a farming system that ensures that no harm is done to soil or ecosystems. On top of this,  they are also pursuing the pilot program for Regenerative Organic Certification because they believe that the world can do better than just sustaining what we have and instead, regenerate for the future. This goes right back to their roots and their mission to wanting to create a brand that gives back more than it takes. As part of a joint project, they are working with PUR Project and their cacao partner, Acopagro Coop, to replant and conserve a portion of the Peruvian Amazon - and that's pretty darn amazing if you ask us! As well as improving the quality and yield of their crops, it has also boosted biodiversity and will provide a prosperous future for their farmers in the form of sustainable forestry once the trees have matured. With the trees that Alter Eco plants each year, they are also offsetting 100% of the company’s carbon emissions.

ELIMINATE WASTE - Going back to their mission to give back more than they take, they also state that no food system can be sustainable if it requires more resources than it yields. So they carefully track each process of the production to ensure that they are creating the least amount of waste at each step. This is an ongoing process and is forever evolving as they learn how consumers handle their waste and how new technologies can open up new possibilities. Their outside packaging has always been recyclable but when it came to the actual chocolate wrappers, there used to be nothing available except plastic. That was until they teamed up with their partners to create the world’s first compostable, non-GMO, non-toxic candy wrappers. Alter Eco are hoping that with the launch of this new type of packaging, that the rest of the chocolate industry will follow suit. 

To see a company that is so committed to regenerating our future and providing such a sustainable food item, is not only inspiring but also shows that it’s possible to transform any industry towards a sustainable and ethical approach. On top of this, we can guarantee that you’re going to love your next Alter Eco treat because each one is deliciously wonderful and smells like heaven. 
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We’ve teamed up with Alter Eco for Valentine’s Day this year in a bid to provide you with sustainable alternatives to the usual plastic gifts and forest-destroying chocolate treats. Not only will your taste buds thank you, so will our farmers, forests and environment! To see more of our project with Alter Eco, please head to our Valentine's Day PAGE!