What do the Kuapa farmers get out of their relationship with Divine?
Is Divine suitable for vegetarians or vegans?
Could Divine be made more healthy?
Is Divine nut-free?
Is Divine organic?
Is Divine wheat free?
Is Divine Kosher?
Is Divine only available from the UK?
Why isn't Divine made in Ghana?
How is Divine reducing its environmental impact?
What is happening in Ghana to ensure environmental conservation in cocoa farming?
What do the Kuapa farmers get out of their relationship with Divine?
Divine is made with cocoa bought from Kuapa Kokoo at the guaranteed minimum Fairtrade price of $1600 per tonne which protects the farmers from the volatility of the market. The cooperative receives an additional premium of $150 per tonne, which the cooperative invests in their own projects to improve the farmers' living, health and education standards, and farming productivity. A percentage of the price of Divine goes towards 'producer support and development', which Kuapa Kokoo spends on farmer education, and helping to maintain the values and vision of the cooperative as it grows. What makes the relationship even more special is that Kuapa co-owns Divine Chocolate Ltd. Kuapa Kokoo has two places on the Board so it can exercise its influence over how Divine is developed, and receive a significant share of the company profits. This ownership relationship also gives Kuapa Kokoo more status in the cocoa industry and a ‘seat at the table’. Less tangibly, but just as important, the Kuapa farmers are very proud that they own a company in the UK, and hearing about how well their business is doing is very motivating and exciting.
Is Divine suitable for vegetarians or vegans?
All Divine products are suitable for vegetarians. 70% Dark Chocolate, 70% Mint Dark Chocolate, 70% Dark Chocolate Hearts, 70% Dark Chocolate Advent Calendar, 70% Dark Chocolate Mini Eggs, 70% Dark Chocolate Easter Egg, After Dinner Mints and Divine Delights are possible choices for vegans, though we cannot guarantee these products are totally milk-free as milk is used elsewhere in the factory. Divine Dark Chocolate with Fruit and Nut contains butterfat which is a milk derivative and therefore not suitable for vegans. Divine is also made with natural cocoa butter and vanilla, lecithin from GM-free soya, and contains no vegetable fat substitutes.
Could Divine be made more healthy?
Divine chocolate is made with the best of everything - top quality cocoa, natural cocoa butter and vanilla - and that is what makes it so good and delicious. Any attempt to reduce the fat or sugar or replace ingredients with synthetic alternatives would mean creating an inferior product that fewer people would enjoy. Our aim is to make the best chocolate containing only natural ingredients that most people can enjoy as a treat, as part of a balanced diet.
Is Divine nut-free?
None of the Divine products can be guaranteed totally nut-free as the factory where they are made handles nuts.
Is Divine organic?
Cocoa is very prone to diseases, which can quickly spread and wipe out huge areas of cocoa production, and in turn seriously endanger the livelihoods of thousands of farmers. As cocoa is vital to the Ghanaian economy, the Ghanaian cocoa board is being cautious about introducing organic production. Until enough tests have been done on organically approved pesticides in the Ghanaian context, introducing organic cocoa farming is considered high risk. If and when organic farming is considered safe, Kuapa Kokoo will undoubtedly consider its potential. Until then Divine is not certified organic - but it is worth noting that as pesticides are too expensive for most Kuapa farmers they rely largely on natural crop protection methods already.
It is also worth noting Divine is a natural product, made with natural cocoa butter and vanilla, lecithin from GM-free soya, and no vegetable fat substitutes.
Is Divine wheat free?
None of the ingredients in Divine contain wheat/gluten. However, they are produced in a factory which does produce items containing wheat/gluten, so we cannot guarantee that they are completely gluten free.
Is Divine Kosher?
We are delighted to announce that the 100g and 45g Divine chocolate bars, Divine gold coins and 40g Dubble bars are now certified Kosher. The K certification symbol will start appearing on the back of the pack over the next year.
Is Divine only available from the UK?
No - Divine is growing around the world! You can buy Divine in USA, across Scandinavia and the Netherlands.
Why isn't Divine made in Ghana?
Our primary mission is to improve the lives of cocoa farmers in West Africa, and, by creating a farmer-ownership model we have ensured Kuapa Kokoo benefits financially from access to the highest point of the value chain. Introducing manufacturing in Ghana would not bring as much benefit, as well as introducing new financial and environmental restraints on getting the chocolate to market. As the UK market prefers milk chocolate, milk and other ingredients would have to be imported, and stocks would have to be refrigerated in factories and on ships as chocolate melts instantly in the high temperatures in Ghana.
How is Divine reducing its environmental impact?
As a responsible company Divine is conscious of its environmental impact, and we are committed to doing our best to continuously make improvements to reduce it. We don’t use airfreight at any stage of our supply chain, and keep up to date with best practice regarding all the materials we use. Our packaging is reviewed annually, and while ensuring our products are all kept protected and delicious, we want to make sure they look lovely and irresistible with as little packaging as possible. Latest developments include keeping our Easter Egg packaging to a minimum with no plastic, using cornstarch trays inside our chocolate boxes, and most recently, removing the cellophane wrapper from the Divine Advent Calendars.
What is happening in Ghana to ensure environmental conservation in cocoa farming?
Twin, the NGO that helped to set up Divine, is working with its trading partners in Africa and Latin America, many of whom grow tree crops in tropical rainforests, to help them find ways to adapt to and mitigate the impact of climate change. Many of these producers are having to cope with increasingly erratic rainfall patterns that are effecting productivity. With support from Twin and local and international experts, these cooperatives are beginning to identify new or rediscover old production practices that can help them adapt to climatic change. In cocoa, for example, farmers can plant more shade trees in order to improve moisture conservation and increase biodiversity. Such tree planting projects are a ‘carbon sink’ and can therefore potentially attract payments from carbon offsetting schemes, which can help fund these important adaptation initiatives and even generate additional income for farmers.