We work directly with small farms and their cooperative, who are paid premium wages for a premium product. We pay higher than minimum fair trade pricing and more than double the average west African farmgate price for cacao.
We have intentionally cut out the international intermediary, in this case the fair trade organizations, because then we can funnel more money directly to the farm, and not to the certification process. There are instances where fair trade organizations themselves earn more than the farmers. Our goal is direct relationship and sourcing transparency.