008: Creating a Future-Proof 100% Cocoa-Free Chocolate Alternative with Max and Sara Marquart

<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's necessary that we create a future-proof chocolate brand to de-risk the core supply chain."</span></em> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> -Max Marquart </span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong> </strong><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">“A lot of people are aware that meat is bad for the planet, that cheese is bad for the planet. But most people don't know about the devastating effects of our enormous production of global cocoa harvesting. It’s important for consumers to get educated about the problems.”</span></em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">-Sara Marquart</span></p> <p><br /> <br /></p> <p><strong>Episode Description: </strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, ruby chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, sweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate -- How much do we love chocolates! </span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Globally, the number of chocolates consumed each year is estimated to be at least 7.2 metric tons. Therefore, it’s not surprising that the chocolate industry is now a billion-dollar empire. </span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, this sweet treat has a bitter, darker secret. The cacao plant, the main component used in chocolate making, is a very controversial ingredient. It is strongly linked with deforestation and loss of biodiversity. With the high production demand, farmers are forced to clear forest lands and over use chemical fertilizers. These practices pollute the environment, affect human health, contribute to climate change, and displace animals that naturally inhabit the land. Moreover, history reveals that cacao farming is directly associated with increased poverty and child labor. In Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, the world's top producers of cocoa, there are 2.1 million children who still work in cacao fields. Sadly, even big chocolate companies have no way of telling whether there is no child labor involved in the cacaos they use in manufacturing. </span></p> <p> </p