Chocolate and Conservation: The Passions of Madécasse

It is a real cause for celebration that more and more wholesale confectionery brands are choosing to join those who already manufacture fair-trade products. Many of our retailers actively seek out brands with a strong ethical core, knowing that their customers appreciate products that do good in the world. Thankfully, there are lots of options out there for retailers looking to stock fair-trade products. Wholesale confectionery is full of fantastic brands which are hoping to have a positive impact on the world around them.

A brand which stands out – no mean feat! – is Madécasse. This company was founded on the island of Madagascar by an innovative group of volunteers who wanted to offer consumers a high-quality chocolate product whilst ensuring local farmers and workers got a fair deal. They prefer to deal directly with local farmers and producers. They improved technology, built schools and water systems and won several awards along the way. The essential aims of the company have no changed, so let’s see what they have been up to recently.

Creatures Great and Small

As well as helping out local farmers, Madécasse has been doing its best to protect the native wildlife surrounding its farms. Conservation International recently found that Madécasse’s vanilla and cocoa farms offer a haven for endangered wildlife in the area. According to researchers from the University of West England and Bristol Zoological Society, five species of lemur are living in the cacao trees of about 60 of the company’s farms. Three of the five species are classified as ‘endangered’ so it’s amazing that they have found a safe habitat in these trees. It is not often we can combine wholesale confectionery with a nature documentary!

Madécasse’s Role

Sadly, much of Madagascar’s natural forest land has been damaged in the past. However, this means that carefully-tended cacao farms provide a safe haven for many of the island’s creatures. Along with providing job opportunities to local communities, the vanilla and cacao farms are helping to rebuild the natural environment of Madagascar.

Madécasse is proud of the habitat they are providing for Madagascan lemurs. In 2016 they rebranded their packaging, adding a beautiful image of a lemur. The packaging celebrates the lovely creatures that call their farms home and promote their brand’s important role in conserving the local ecosystem.

Why Not Try…

Thanks to their excellent track record there is often a lot of good press surrounding Madécasse, meaning that your customers will be sure to want to try out their products. With this brand it is all about the intense chocolate taste and interesting flavour combinations. Keep it simple with their Pure Dark bars at 70% and 92%. The latter is a product for the true connoisseur with a deep, bitter taste that makes the most of the natural flavour of the beans. For something fun and a bit different try out the Toasted Coconut, Honey Crystal or Salted Almond dark bars – all great flavour blends. Fair trade has never been so tasty!

Angelina Moufftard works for hf Chocolates, established wholesale confectionery suppliers with decades of experience supplying sweets and high-end chocolates to retailers across the UK. Working with the most dedicated suppliers from France, Spain, Germany, Holland, Belgium, the USA and the UK, hf Chocolates' great tasting and beautifully packaged products add panache to any sweet display.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.