Dr. Bronner’s, a leader in natural and ethical soaps, has launched the world’s first certified regenerative organic chocolate.
The Dr. Bronner’s name has long been synonymous with quality and ethics; it has long touted the Fair Trade label and has donated millions of dollars to worthy causes including mental health issues and animal welfare. The California-based company launched by Emanuel Bronner in 1948, was also the first soap manufacturer to use hemp seeds and oil in its formulations, and in 2003, it became the first body care company to certify its products under the USDA National Organic Program. It’s added another first today with the launch of the world’s first Regenerative Organic Certified chocolate. The company, which launched its chocolate range in 2021, says its Salted Dark Chocolate bar has become the world’s first chocolate to earn the Regenerative Organic Certified label.
The chocolate is crafted from a blend of ingredients that meet Regenerative Organic Certified standards, including cocoa from Ghana and Ivory Coast, coconut sugar from Indonesia, cocoa butter from Congo, and bourbon vanilla from Madagascar.
Mike Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner’s, highlighted the issues plaguing the conventional chocolate industry. “The conventional chocolate trade has a well-documented history of social and environmental abuse,” he said in a statement. “The industry is built on destructive industrial farming practices and extensive use of pesticides, which result in low cocoa yields and low wages for farmers.”
Bronner further emphasized the company’s commitment to environmental and social responsibility, adding, “Regenerative Organic Certified seeks to promote and ensure practices that protect soil health, animal welfare, and fairness for farmers and workers. We are eager to demonstrate to the world that chocolate can be made to the highest possible social and ecological criteria and we call on all chocolate makers to rise to the Regenerative Organic Certified standard in their supply chains.”
The certification of Dr. Bronner’s Salted Dark Chocolate as Regenerative Organic Certified surpasses both USDA Organic and Fair Trade standards. This achievement underlines the feasibility of practicing regenerative organic agriculture on a scale that can satisfy global market demands. Dr. Bronner’s, which had previously launched the first-ever Regenerative Organic Certified Virgin Coconut Oil in 2020, continues to pioneer in implementing these standards across its supply chains.
The launch of Dr. Bronner’s Magic All-One Chocolate in 2021 was a direct result of the company’s collaboration with farmers in eastern Ghana. This partnership aimed to enhance the health and productivity of palm and cocoa trees that supply ingredients for Dr. Bronner’s soaps. These efforts, along with similar initiatives involving organic and fair trade cocoa farmers in Ivory Coast, have employed dynamic agroforestry. This farming model integrates diverse trees and crops, fostering biodiversity, increasing yields, diversifying income, and eliminating toxic chemicals.
In 2017, Dr. Bronner’s teamed up with Rodale Institute and Patagonia to establish the Regenerative Organic Certified standard. This certification, managed by the Regenerative Organic Alliance, incorporates stringent requirements for soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. It represents an endeavor to address global challenges like climate change, factory farming, and fragmented rural economies through wider adoption of regenerative organic practices.
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