September Lifestyle Spotlight: Divine Chocolate

In September 2019 we featured Divine Chocolate Lemon and Turmeric & Ginger Bars in our Lifestyle Box – and our subscribers loved them! This innovative chocolate brand has created dozens of unique chocolate treats, including large sharing bars, smaller snack bars and boxed chocolates. 

Divine Chocolate have an impressive range of vegan dark chocolate, with over a dozen cruelty-free varieties to be enjoyed! These tasty flavours include Raspberry, Pink Himalayan Salt, Quinoa & Blueberry, Cocoa Nibs & more. They also make tasty chocolate thins in Mint and Ginger flavours, as well as Dark Chocolate Coins and a Vegan Advent Calendar – perfect for the festive season!

We had the pleasure of speaking to Divine Chocolate themselves about their amazing vegan chocolate. Keep reading to see what they had to say!

Where did the inspiration for Divine Chocolate come from?

Back in 1997 a co-operative of cocoa farmers in Ghana voted at their AGM to set up their own chocolate company – that way they could share in the high value of the chocolate industry. The following year Divine was established, the largest share of which was owned by the farmers, with the social mission to empower farmers through company ownership, and chocolate lovers with the opportunity to make a positive choice 

What sets you apart from more traditional, more mainstream chocolate brands?

The farmer-owned model is unique – it delivers profit, knowledge and power to farmers – and proves business can be done differently. As well as delivering Fairtrade premium, and a share of the profits, Divine has invested directly in ensuring women benefit equally from selling their cocoa and their role in their communities.

What values are most important to you when manufacturing your chocolate?

We aim to include as many Fairtrade sourced ingredients as possible – so it’s not just the cocoa, but also the sugar, vanilla, almonds – and many other ingredients from Fairtrade farmers around the world.  We do not use palm oil, soya or any GM ingredients – while making sure that our chocolate and our flavours are always delicious and moreish! We now have a wonderful organic Fairtrade range offering high cocoa lovers some exciting flavour combinations to try, and we’re working with farmers in Sierra Leone who farm in harmony with the rainforest – a forest-friendly approach to avoid the deforestation that is happening across many cocoa farming areas.

What has been the biggest challenge for your company so far? Biggest achievement?

The volatility of the economic climate has probably been one of the biggest challenges. We buy and sell in different currencies – and the changing exchange rates need exceptional powers of prediction! Our biggest achievement…. Leading in the vanguard of companies proving that business can be done differently: responsibly, sustainably and equitably.

What is your most popular vegan chocolate bar?

Our dark raspberry bar does really well, along with our organic range.

Some might say some of your flavour combinations are unusual for chocolate – where does the inspiration for your flavours come from?

It’s exciting to keep experimenting with new flavours and combinations – we look for sustainably sourced flavours wherever possible, and try and mix familiar favourites with something a little interesting – offering both sweet and tart notes, and a variety of smooth and more crunchy or crisp textures. It’s fun to try out variations on traditional mixes like fruit and nut – like our blueberry and popped quinoa bar!

Have you tried Divine Chocolate, and if so what did you think? Leave a comment below!