CHOCOLATE!Sacred Chocolate vs. Mars

A History of Chocolate

Who They Are

Mars• Started 1920 in Minneapolis

Minnesota, family-run chocolate company

• expanded to include 100 companies covering pet foods, bug sprays and chewing gums.

• very secretive (based in same town as the CIA.)

Who They Are

Sacred Chocolate

• 1999 in San Rafael, Sacred Steve founder- superfoods- fanatic

• makes chocolate in the same manner as the Aztecs.

• Only manufacturer that leaves the skin on the cacao beans for added nutrients.

• Raw, certified organic, Vegan, Kosher and Halal

Where the Chocolate Comes From

Sacred Chocolate

• Ecuador, from a single source. Buying from one farmer in one community. Ecuadorian beans are said to be the most superior.

Mars

• Mars cacao beans are bought from Ecuador, Brazil, Indonesia, Dominican Republic, and Ghana.

CACAO

Ingredients- Sacred Chocolate

• Cacao beans • cacao butter• maple sugar (more authentic

and natural than corn syrup or even processed sugar cane. )

• vanilla • as well as other ingredients depending on flavor such as medicinal mushrooms and ginger

Ingredients- MarsMars

• Sugar• chocolate processed with

alkali• cocoa butter• Hydrogenated palm kernel

oil and/or palm oil

•milkfat •Soy lecithin•Artificial and natural flavors•milk•Corn syrup•Cornstarch

FAIR Trade

Sacred Chocolate isMars isn’t

How They Make It

Sacred Chocolate• Aztecs methods• Beans not fermented • Skins are left on for added

fiber and nutrients (raw)• Handmade and prayed over

Mars• Beans harvested off

rainforest floor after fermenting

• Cacao bean skins removed

Neither company allows visitors to tour

Who Pays the Price?

Sacred Chocolate• Consumer (higher cost of

product)

Mars• Animal testing• Child labor• Small companies (getting

bought out)• Consumers- (forced to eat

an inferior product)

Who Do They Employ?

Sacred Chocolate Mars

What it Means For Local Communities

Sacred Chocolate• Works with only one source• Fair trade- company has a

rapport w/ farmers, who’re getting fair wages, benefitting entire community of farmers (Consistency)

• 5% of all proceeds donated to the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. Creating more trees

Mars• Because cocao beans come

from multiple sources, there’s no sense of commitment between company and the farmers

• They buy from wherever’s cheap- doesn’t provide long-term benefits for farming communities

How Does it Get to Me?Sacred Chocolate

• Raw Cacao is purchased directly from farmers in Ecuador from a single source limiting environmental impact.

• Chocolate is manufactured in a carbon balanced factory, and the final product is only available for purchase directly from the manufacturer.

How Does it Get to Me?Mars • All ingredients are purchased

according to lowest cost.• Forces company to purchase each

ingredient from a different source.

• Minimizes production cost, but maximizes environmental impact.

• Food is manufactured in one factory, and globally distributed into the consumers hands.

Where Can we Get it?Sacred Chocolate• available online directly

from the manufacturer, • Select health food stores

MarsANY WHERE YOU WANT

Is It Sustainable To Consume?

Sacred Chocolate• Very sustainable to

consume for the consumer, producer, farmer, environment and community

• Produce in a carbon balanced factory

• Raw Cacao is the most nutrient rich and complex food know to man.

Mars• Not at the moment and

probably never.• UTZ? Fair Trade• Not healthy for consumer, • widely distributed = oil• Slave labor• Crushes small businesses

How Does Chocolate Affect my Community?

Sacred Chocolate• Healthy product that is rich

in nutrients and antioxidants.

• Supports local chocolate businesses.

Mars• Health risks from

consuming unhealthy food

Which is Better?

• Sacred Chocolate: Sustainably harvested and distributed, fair trade, organic, healthy, and ethical business practices.

• Mars Chocolate: low consumer and producer costs, unfair treatment of laborers, unhealthy product, economic bully, and global distribution.

Works Cited

• http://www.mars.com/global/home.htm• http://www.sacredchocolate.com/• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_trade• Mike Zwiebach- Sales Manager Sacred

Chocolate• Food Scientist at Mars• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF-r-

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