Hello! My name is Esther Orridge and I’m addicted to Divine Chocolate. In particular the Fairtrade Seasalt and Toffee Milk Chocolate Bar!
It wasn’t until I started working at Social Progress in Honley, Holmfirth that I started to get involved with Holme Valley Fairtrade, of which Social Progress are active members. The more I learnt about the story behind Fairtrade and actually understood the real lives behind the products, the more passionate I have become about making the effort to buy Fairtrade products. In reality, it doesn’t always cost more to buy Fairtrade alternatives to your favourite items of food or drink!
My husband and I now personally buy more Fairtrade groceries and condiments as well as trying out Fairtrade wines too! But the Fairtrade icing on the cake for me was when I was introduced to the fabulous flavours of Divine Chocolate back in August! Janet, my amazing boss, brought in a bar of Divine Chocolate to share in the office. Well, after one piece, I was hooked! I found my favourite sweet treat which doesn’t cost the earth or humanity but it gives something back to the real people who produce the product!
However, since I found this wonderful treasure I soon realised how precious it was! It can no longer be found in the local supermarkets, it no longer sits equally and proudly between the big-hitters but literally disappeared from the shelves!
My personal goal is to challenge the local supermarkets to bring back this gorgeous product which is not only divine to taste but is of divine importance to so many Fairtrade cocoa farmers lives! Why should the big-hitters get all the glory? Isn’t it more important to support Fairtrade within the production line than look at the “popular and more profitable” versions?
I [ESTHER ORRIDGE] DEMAND DIVINE CHOCOLATE TO BE PUT BACK ON THE SHELVES OF SUPERMARKETS!!! Why? Because #FairtradeMatters!
The good news is that there is a hero to this story in the form of fairandfunky who constantly and consistently stock various flavours of Divine Chocolate on their online store and at their pop-up shops! I have an idea hatching and bought their last batch of 10+ Seasalt and Toffee Milk Chocolate bars at our recent networking event called Retro Friday in November.
Do you agree with these familiar sayings:
“Many hands make light work”
“There’s strength in numbers”
“Fairtrade Matters”
If you believe that everyone should be paid a fair wage for their work (especially if they are producers, miners, farmers etc.) then join us in spreading awareness of Fairtrade together through social media and in person.
Many supermarkets supply on demand, so let’s demand Fairtrade together. Make your voice heard! Persistence pays off. Surely the basics of Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar should be in every supermarket – don’t you agree?
Divine Chocolate ensures that the cocoa farmers get a fair wage for their hard work! I was honoured to meet a cocoa farmer from Ghana in October (also called Esther) at the National Fairtrade Supporters Conference and her story can be found on the inside of the White Chocolate and Strawberry Chocolate bar packaging.
This really hit home that we take so many things for granted and forget the very people behind the products that we love or use daily. This is where the campaign for Fairtrade Fortnight 2016 kicks in: “Sit down for breakfast, stand up for farmers!” Why should farmers produce the food we eat yet not get paid enough to eat anything themselves?
Can I encourage you to consider buying Fairtrade products more often? As said before, I started with tea, coffee, sugar and wine. You don’t have to be radical to support Fairtrade!
So in closing, I’d like to say that “I, Esther Orridge, am an active Fairtrade supporter and I am totally in love with Divine Chocolate” – a Fairtrade treat I’d like everyone to experience… Bring on a Fairtrade Christmas!
P.s. Until the supermarkets put Divine Chocolate back on their shelves, you can order Fairtrade chocolate from the fairandfunky online shop here: http://www.fairandfunky.com/fairtrade-online-shop/
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