Divine Chocolate set for major rebrand amid sustainable cocoa sector mission
A major rebrand has been confirmed for the ethically founded Divine Chocolate company from this September, as it continues its mission supporting key supply chain cocoa producing nations, writes Neill Barston.
Its image overhaul will include a series of striking new packaging and product moulds, as well as a bolder tone in voice as part of its ongoing sustainability focus within the sector.
The company, which was recently acquired by Ludwig Weinrich, stands as the only Fairtrade chocolate business in the world co-owned by farming communities in West Africa, under the Kuapa Kokoo co-operative scheme.
As part of this relaunch, the UK-founded brand is inviting everyone to join their chocolate revolution aiming to fight exploitation in the cocoa industry and tackle exploitation with the sector amid a backdrop of many agricultural workers still earning less than $1 a day – well below UN-defined levels of poverty.
Under its terms of operating,- Kuapa Kokoo farmers receive a share of the profits they help to create, giving them more to invest in their families, farms and communities, and have a 40% board representation at Divine, and are able to influence its strategy and investment decisions impacting on their future.
Furthermore, farmers get paid a Fairtrade price and a Fairtrade premium for their cocoa. It’s a unique model that can herald much needed change across the whole cocoa industry.
As Divine noted, now more than ever consumers consider a company’s ethical values before purchasing a product, so the company is confident that the time is right for their revolution to spread far and wide, and for consumers and all actors in the sector to help end exploitation in the cocoa industry.
Ruth Harding, Divine’s Managing Director explains; ‘The cocoa industry is valued at over $100 billion worldwide, yet the average cocoa farmer typically only earns as little as $1 per day. As a purpose led company, we are frustrated at watching the chocolate industry treating cocoa farmers as invisible.
“We want to lead by example, putting farmers at the heart of the business and helping to create a world in which they thrive and prosper’ The brand re-launch has been designed to better represent the core values Divine holds, and to reaffirm their credentials as the pioneering ethical brand in confectionery.
Sophie Loveday-Davies, Divine’s Marketing Director added that its rebrand was designed in response to the fact consumers are becoming increasingly conscious about the brands and products they choose, and the impact they have both socially and environmentally.
She explained: “Our re-launch was focused on combining the amazing taste and quality of Divine chocolate with a core product truth ‘Every Bar Directly Improves the Lives of Farmers’ – clearly demonstrating that every small choice can drive change.”
Driven by consumer research, Divine has given their packaging a bright & fresh new look. According to MetrixLab Research from February 2021, 91% of consumers said the new Divine packaging stood out on the shelf, while 83% of consumers said it drove their purchase intent.
