Divine Chocolate

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Divine Chocolate Limited, formerly the Day Chocolate Company, is a manufacturer of Fairtrade chocolate products in the United Kingdom and the United States. It was established in the UK in 1998 as a partnership between the Kuapa Kokoo cocoa growers' collective and the alternative trading organization Twin Trading; other supporters included The Body Shop, Christian Aid and Comic Relief.^[1]

Divine Chocolate claims that its trading system is unique even in the sphere of fair trade, in that farmers own a stake in the company and its profits. Its first product, launched in October 1998, was Divine milk chocolate. Since then, variations such as Divine white chocolate, flavoured milk chocolate, dark chocolate and drinking chocolate have been added to the company's list. Another brand, Dubble, was launched in 2000.

Divine Chocolate Ltd is owned by the following organizations:

• 45% owned by Kuapa Kokoo, a Fairtrade cocoa cooperative in Ghana.
• 43% shares are owned by Twin Trading, an alternative trading organization based in London.
• 12% are owned by Oikocredit, a Dutch microfinance institution.^[2]

Divine Chocolate in the UK is available in all major supermarkets nationwide, as well as with the leading wholesalers. In the US, Divine Chocolate is available in many natural foods stores, food co-ops, independent gift shops and in many Wild Oats Markets across the country. Divine was recently approved as a vendor for Nordstrom department store. Divine Chocolate is available online through SERRV International, www.agreatergift.org.

Divine Chocolate was a runner-up in the 2002 Worldaware Award for small businesses. The nomination recognized Divine Chocolate for "its courageous and creative marketing stance in favour of fair trade in the highly competitive chocolate confectionery market".^[3]

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• Divine Chocolate