We’re on a mission towards nature-positive, ethical cacao farming, and we’ve crafted a satisfying chocolate with a strong sustainable purpose. One that’s positive for nature, and positive for our farmers.

As expert chocolate aficionados, we’re the first to know that the process of growing cacao isn’t always good for nature, or for ethical cacao farmers. The ‘Better Way’ journey is something that we’ve been working on for over 20 years now, which is when we started developing and reforming our gentle farming practices.

We’re ready to take the next step in our journey of support for ethical cacao farming. Our response to the issue at hand? The Better Way Bar — the chocolate bar where 100% of sales will go towards funding nature-positive cacao farming practices.

The mission of the Better Way Bar

With the rise in popularity for the delectable taste of chocolate, there has been a negative knock-on effect in the cacao farming industry. Increasing pressure on farming methods due to low payments for cacao has led to deforestation, poor soil quality, loss of biodiversity and difficult times for farming families.

With the Better Way Bar, we can carve a new route in our journey toward gentle cacao farming. We believe in working directly with farmers to do this so that cacao farming can be positive for nature, and positive for the cacao farmers. Ultimately, our goal is for both nature and our farmers to thrive.

What makes the Better Way Bar different?

If you’re an esteemed lover of our chocolate, then you may be wondering: isn’t all Hotel Chocolat chocolate ethically sourced? How is the Better Way Bar any different?

Well, you’re completely correct, All of our chocolate is ethically sourced and in line with our Engaged Ethics approach, but there’s a slight difference in our Better Way bar.

We currently reinvest 10% of our annual profit into gentle farming initiatives. With the Better Way Bar, we are giving 100% of the sale proceeds to support the following gentle farming initiatives:

Shade tree seedlings

We give free shade tree seedlings to the farmers that are a part of our Ghanaian gentle farming programme. The best cacao thrives in the shade of other trees, and we believe that planting a diverse range of plants leads to a more regenerative agriculture and increased biodiversity in the area.

Pruning

To help the cacao grow stronger, it’s always best to prune the deadweight of the plant. We offer hands-on help and knowledge to our farmers in order to keep their pruning practices up to scratch. This offers the best cacao yield, boosts productivity, and this ultimately leads to a higher income for our farmers.

Organic fertiliser

After using organic fertilisers on our own cacao farm in Saint Lucia, we believe it’s important to share this approach with our farmers in Ghana. After all, organic fertilisers are much gentler than chemical fertilisers. To share this seed of knowledge, we run organic fertiliser workshops so our farmers can build upon their existing cacao farming skills and practices.

One better way, two recipes

When you buy our Better Way Bar, you will experience one luxuriously rich filling with two chocolate grades to choose from: milk or dark chocolate.

What makes the Better Way Bar special is that we take the cacao from both Saint Lucia and Ghana, and pair it with a smooth hazelnut chocolate praline. Also in the mix you will find pops of crispy biscuit, and zingy cherry pieces for a flavoursome mouthful.

Both the 50% Milk Better Way Bar and 70% Dark Better Way Bar chocolate are lovingly enrobed in Saint Lucian chocolate from our own cacao farm, and at the heart of the Better Way Bar you fill find our Ghanaian cacao, where we’re working with 2,500 farmers to improve gentle farming practices. It’s the perfect metaphor for everything that we stand for at Hotel Chocolat.

A better way for chocolate lovers

For your next moment of chocolate escapism (which we hope isn’t too far away), consider the arduous journey that your bar has been on over the globe. From a humble bean to its renowned Hotel Chocolat wrapper, this ethically sourced chocolate bar offers an opportunity for you to taste the passion behind our mission — the mission towards making gentle cacao farming the industry standard.

Make a conscious choice in the favour of chocolate sustainability, and choose a better way today with the Hotel Chocolat Better Way Bar.