Lemongrass Milk Chocolate bar, a 1-oz 40% milk chocolate that is flavored, tempered, molded, and wrapped by hand.

Theo Chocolate is one of approximately a dozen bean-to-bar chocolate makers in the United States (Mast Brothers is also included on the short list), and it remains the only maker that sources both Fair Trade certified and USDA Organic certified ingredients.

Joe Whinney, CEO and founder, says of the company’s origins, “After working as a conservation volunteer in my early twenties, I saw that environmental and social degradations were economic issues. I believe that enlightened capitalism can be wonderful tool to impact change.” Before Theo’s inception, Whinney worked on cocoa farms throughout Central America and Africa. He started Theo Chocolate with a global perspective and brought the first shipments of organic cocoa beans into the US.

Five years later, Theo is a booming business. On weekends, the retail shop that fronts the factory is packed with tour goers and chocolate tasters, many of whom are Theo regulars.  Tours of the factory are available 7 days a week (book in advance, they fill up fast). Every day in the retail shop, piles of chocolate samples invite you to taste any one of the 17+ different bars made on site. Everything in the store speaks of sustainability, from the refurbished granite sample trays to the ribbons made from recycled plastic bottles.

Even with all of this popularity, the company is determined to stay true to its mission; to make quality products that have a positive impact by being socially and environmentally responsible. This means continuing to source Fair Trade and organic ingredients and partnering with organizations like the Jane Goodall Institute.  Theo created two bars that provide funding for the institute by donating a percentage of the proceeds.

Proceeds also go to building a Theo Chocolate initiative called “Cocoa Practices,” a set of standards involving farmers, producers and third-party organizations. The goal is to assist farmers in growing economically viable, high-quality beans while ensuring protection of the ecosystems that are so often damaged by large-scale, non-organic cocoa farming. “Current certifications such as Fair Trade and Organic are pass or fail certifications which help consumers identify base line practices, but these certifications do not always help farmers reach sustainability,” says Whinney. “We developed these standards to create a tool that would accurately measure farmers’ progress towards economic, social and environmental sustainability. Ultimately these standards are not meant to replace the consumer certification but to enhance our understanding and commitment to a sustainable supply chain.”

The Winnower Machine removes the husk from the cocoa bean and breaks them into smaller pieces.

Once the beans arrive at the factory, the beans are treated with utmost respect. They are escorted through each machine and test-tasted at every step.  Only natural emulsification process are used; Theo Chocolate does not use any preservatives or additives. Many of the bars have only 4 ingredients: cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla bean.  As a result, the dark chocolate tastes more like the cocoa bean itself, with only enough sugar to balance the flavor of the bitter bean.

Theo makes some fun, wacky flavors, too, using all sustainably grown ingredients. The fresh mint comes from a local farm. The bread is from an organic bakery only a few miles from the factory. The hazelnuts are fair trade and organic and delicious when toasted with salt, tossed with brittle and mixed into milk chocolate. They even put dried figs, fennel, and almonds together in dark chocolate.  The combination is reminiscent of trail mix with extra chocolate pieces.

Whinney hopes that Theo will stand as a model for other companies by “demonstrating that you can do well while doing good.” In other words, he can make a profound difference in the lives and ecosystems of the farmers while creating a quality product and successful business.

Theo Chocolate can be found at retailers across the country. For a list of the retailers or to buy online, visit www.theochocolate.com.