The Story of 10 Co-op and 1 Chocolate Bar

Did you know that you're already part of the solution? You are because you shop at a consumer cooperative. Cooperatives tackle directly the problem of how our economy often works for a few, and not for the many. We'd like to remind co-op members how they are supporting an enterprise that puts community and democracy first, and profits second (or even third or fourth). Cooperatives provide an encouraging, viable, and just economic alternative to businesses that put profit ahead of all other considerations.

Many things make co-ops special. Most importantly, by uniting the work and capabilities of many individuals - the "little guys" - into democratic organizations, co-ops level the playing field to create equitable economic possibilities for all. Not only is your co-op making a difference in your community, but co-ops are helping millions of people across the U.S., and around the world.

For example, let's look at a single product: Equal Exchange's new Fair Trade chocolate bar. This simple chocolate bar refutes the idea that only huge corporations can handle the complexities of international business in this age of globalization - where the ingredients, processing, and distribution of a product can span many countries and continents. All the key ingredients for these chocolate bars - cocoa, sugar, and milk - are certified organic and produced by democratically organized small farmer cooperatives. In these producer co-ops, farmers organize to market their agricultural products. Revenues in producer co-ops are distributed equitably and transparently. Farmer co-ops are critical to increasing their member's otherwise meager incomes and to democratizing the economies of rural communities.

The cocoa for the chocolate bars is provided by three different cooperatives: CONACADO in the Dominican Republic, and the CACVRA and Quinacho cooperatives on the edge of the Peruvian Amazon. Sugar is comes from three groups in Paraguay: the Montillo, Arroyense, and Manduvira cooperatives. The milk for the milk chocolate bars is provided by America's own Organic Valley cooperative. The sourcing of the ingredients is coordinated by another worker cooperative, La Siembra, in Ottawa, Canada. Like Equal Exchange, La Siembra is also a 100% Fair Trade organization specializing in cocoa and sugar products.

The ingredients are all then sent to a venerable gourmet chocolate company in Switzerland to be converted into chocolate bars. Finally, the bars are shipped to us, Equal Exchange, a 65 member worker co-op south of Boston. We handle all public education, marketing, sales, distribution, and customer service. In worker co-ops, employees own the company on a one-person/one-share basis.

Finally, the bars go out to hundreds of consumer cooperatives for final sale. Ideally they'll be enjoyed with a cup of organic coffee supplied by yet other farmer cooperatives, with a dash of co-op-produced cream and sugar.

It's common enough today for the value chain of a chocolate bar to span six countries and three continents, but it's exciting when that chocolate was brought to you by seven farmer cooperatives, two worker cooperatives, and your own consumer cooperative, working together across thousands of miles, and with a shared sense of purpose. Thanks to cooperatives you, too, can be a part of this 'grassroots globalization', helping to sustain an economy that works for everyone.