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Direct Trade

Cacao is the fundament in the products that we create. Beyond being a drink, a food, and an excellent preservative, we see cacao as a political medium.

The trade of cacao, being directly linked to (post) colonialism, makes it a medium surrounded by moral and socio-economic questions for those working with it.

 

Regular Trade

Nearly all cacao is traded on the global commodity market, where prices are dictated by speculative trading, futures contracts, and opaque supply chains.

This system rewards short-term profits over fair treatment:

🟥 Farmers sell to local middlemen at prices vulnerable to market crashes, currency fluctuations, and debt creation.

🟥 This cacao trade incentivizes volume over quality or sustainability, causing deforestation and exploitative labor practices.

🟥 Farmers take all the risk. Even when market prices rise, middlemen, whole sellers and exporters take the profits — not growers.

 

 

Fair Trade

Most people are familiar with Fair Trade. Seen on many products in (eco) supermarkets this label suggests that it’s the best option when it comes to buying products.

Fair Trade certification guarantees farmers a minimum price and a small premium for community projects. This helps, but:

🟨 Farmers still sell through various middlemen, losing part of their earnings.

🟨 Bureaucracy and fees mean less money reaches farmers than you’d think.

🟨 Fair Trade certifications are expensive and farmers bear these costs. Think of it like a subscription fee. No subscription means a farmer is forced back to regular trade.

 

 

Direct Trade

We believe the only ethical way to work with cacao is through direct trade. By building relationships directly with farmers and importers, we operate under direct trade principles, where global market price speculation plays no role.

 

🟩 We buy straight from cacao farmers, cutting most of the middlemen, and making the supply chain simpler and more transparent.

🟩 Since 2023 we have worked with Amsterdam-based importer Pure Kakaw who've built strong relations with cacao farms in Guatemala, Peru, and Nicaragua over the last decade.

🟩 Better prices mean farmers are more financially stable and can stick to an agroforestry farming style.

Direct trade goes beyond just buying and selling. It's about creating sustainability for both people and the land.