How Does a Green (Cocoa) Bean Grow?

shade grown onesie

There’s milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and white chocolate (which we all know isn’t really chocolate, but so what?) – but how about green chocolate?

We’re not talking about a St. Patrick’s Day gimmick, but rather, the eco-friendly chocolatiers at Endangered Species Chocolate. The cocoa beans are shade-grown in natural forests, without displacing any native species. After the beans have been harvested, they are shipped to Endangered Species Chocolate’s LEED-registered factory in Indianapolis, to be turned into delicious chocolate bars. The bars are then wrapped in 30 percent post-consumer FSC-certified paper to be sold. As far as chocolate companies go, you’re not likely to find one with a lower carbon footprint.

The company also donates 10 percent of net profits to groups dedicated to conservation and environmental activism, with a focus on preserving endangered species. Each year, the company chooses new partner organizations. This year, one of their beneficiaries is the Ocean Conservancy, which is dedicated to preserving clean oceans and preserving the many species living there, through programs like the International Coastal Cleanup, the Florida Wildlife Program, and the Sea Turtle Ecological Expeditions program.

We also love Endangered Species Chocolate’s online merch store, which boasts a wide range of eco-friendly and sustainable products. Check out this unique fair-trade Giraffe Print Purse, constructed from recycled chocolate wrappers; or, for your little one, the adorable “shade grown” organic cotton onesie shown above.