Disclaimer: the products reviewed here were sent to me free of charge by Divine Chocolate All opinions stated here are my own.
I am so excited to share this collaboration with Divine Chocolate with you!
Divine Chocolate caught my eye for a number of reasons. First, it is Fairtrade Certified, a B Corporation, and a brand dedicated to providing opportunities for growth and success to farming communities. What impressed me most (aside from the chocolate itself) was the fact that Divine is co-owned by the cocoa farmers themselves! I am not familiar with any other companies like this.
Divine was kind to set up a phone call with Callie Yow, the Communications and External Relations Coordinator. We had a great conversation about her love for working for this ethical company, her favorite Divine chocolate products, and the uniqueness of the co-ownership with Kuapo Kokoo (the cooperative of cocoa farmers).
To begin our discussion, I wanted to know how she had come to value conscious consumerism. Callie told me that she had grown up in an environment in which most of the food she ate was locally-grown, so she knew the importance of buying from farmers themselves. Of her hometown, she told me, “Asheville gave me an appreciation of the beautiful and eclectic. It really shaped my understanding of buying from people and not from stores. So many people just don’t think about their products and services as coming from a real person.”
Next, we talked about how Divine Chocolate’s website features photos and biographies of many of their cocoa farmers. Callie explained, “We love learning from each other and by providing images of members of Kuapa Kokoo on our website we’re able to bring the producer closer to the consumer and find a common ground. We really want the consumers to purchase our brand to see the faces of the people who hand-harvest and provide the cocoa and to see a reflection of themselves in the farmers. And we also do it in part to celebrate members of the cooperative because we see them as equals and deserving of fair wages and achieving leadership roles within the company.”
Then, we talked about Divine Chocolate’s initiatives in Ghana that support women. Callie told me that they allocate money each year toward teaching the women how to make goods like baskets and soap to sell for additional income when the cocoa harvesting season is over. She also explained that the farmers have the option of taking free classes on how to read and write in their native language, Twi, and English. I really admire the value Divine places on education!
I noticed that the brand has a ton of different types of chocolate, so I asked Callie if she could tell me about some of the different products. She answered, “Divine offers a wide variety of products for sure. I honestly think that any consumer of any age and any chocolate preference could find something that they enjoy. We have 15 different flavors in our Everyday Bar line, of which most are dark chocolate bars, some milk chocolate, and 2 white chocolate bars. We also have a traditional Milk Advent Calendar and a vegan Dark Chocolate Advent Calendar. Recently, we also launched a new line of organic chocolate bars that contain superfoods like turmeric and ginger with cocoa sourced from São Tomé.”
Lastly, I asked Callie what her favorite chocolate bar from Divine is and what the most underrated bar in her opinion is. “In terms of my favorite bar,” she said, “it changes honestly, but the milk chocolate is the best milk chocolate I’ve ever tried. You can really taste the cocoa and it’s not overly sweet. We also have a Cappuccino Snack Bar that I have to be careful around. It is white chocolate and milk chocolate with ground coffee beans inside. It’s one of those products that when you try it, you have to keep eating because it’s so addicting. If you’re a coffee lover this is definitely a bar I would suggest.”
Now, time to try the chocolate! Divine Chocolate sent me 7 different bars to try, many of which are very unique flavors that I could not wait to eat.
Before opening them, however, I noticed that both the packaging and the chocolate itself were decorated with beautiful symbols. Callie told me that these are called adinkras and are traditional designs that hold meanings to many people in Ghana, including the cocoa farmers. Some of the adinkras used on the chocolate mean endurance, perseverance, cooperation, revival, and balance.
Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle
Chocolate and hazelnut is such a classic combination, and Divine Chocolate certainly does it justice! The flavors blend together beautifully to create one of the most delicious chocolate bars I have ever had. Plus, this bar is vegan-friendly!
Deliciously Rich Dark Chocolate
At 70% cocoa, this bar was, for lack of a better word, truly divine. I would definitely recommend this bar to fans of dark chocolate. It is super creamy and melted in my mouth. Yum!
Rich Dark Chocolate with Refreshing Lemon
I absolutely loved this chocolate bar. The sourness of the lemon coupled with the sweetness of the chocolate is just incredible!
Rich Dark Chocolate with Blueberry and Popped Quinoa
I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical when I first saw this flavor combination, but it is amazing! The mix of blueberry, quinoa, and chocolate work so well together. I am a huge fan of blueberries so I really enjoyed this bar and would recommend it to all chocolate-lovers!
Rich Dark Chocolate with Turmeric and Ginger
This bar is loaded with delicious spices that both taste and smell heavenly. It packs a punch while being savory at the same time!
Rich Dark Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs
I LOVED this bar! The little cocoa nibs added a crunch and gave the chocolate texture. I will definitely be telling my friends about this one!
Dark Chocolate with Raspberries
Chocolate with real raspberries! How can it get any better than that? Another traditional combination done right by Divine Chocolate. And did I mention it is vegan?
Thank you again to Divine Chocolate for taking the time to collaborate with me. I absolutely love your chocolate and your impact!
