Eat Chocolate, Help Farmers in Ghana

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Though the Mast Brothers have a current stronghold on the blogosphere with their beautifully wrapped Brooklyn-made chocolate bars, another deserving chocolatier has also recently entered the New York scene. Divine Chocolate, previously only available overseas, opened in DC in 2006 and is now available at grocery stores and health-food markets in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx.

What makes Divine Chocolate an important addition to the chocolate scene is the company's fair-trade, farmer-friendly, eco-sensitive policies. A "pioneer in the world of socially responsible enterprise," Divine puts the power back in the hands of the farmers in Ghana, instead of the government's.

The income that comes from the sale of cocoa goes toward building schools, medical clinics, and wells. The company also cultivates feminism, as it enables women to earn money. Investors and support for the company include The Body Shop, Twin Trading, Comic Relief, Christian Aid, Lutheran World Relief, Oikocredit, and SERRV International.

You can read more about the story of the Kuapa Kokoo farmers' co-op that own a third of Divine Chocolate in the US here.

There are an assortment of Divine chocolate bars. In addition to the standard milk chocolate, there are such treats as White Chocolate with Strawberries and Dark Chocolate with Mint.

Participating retailers in New York include:

Bell Bates, Blue Marble Ice Cream, the Brooklyn Children's Museum, Commodities, East Side Health, Flatbush Food Cooperative, Food Emporium, Food for Health, Health Nuts, Healthfully Organic Market, Kitchen Market, Natural Frontier, Natural Green Market, New York Naturals, Park Natural, Park Slope Co-op, Perelandra Natural Food Center, Westerly Natural Market, and Whole Foods

For addresses and more locations, visit their website.