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Seth Godin writes, Don’t Buy Cheap Chocolate.

We are all in the business of making manufacturing and production processes run more smoothly, efficiently, effectively, safely. Our decisions determine these outcomes. Sometimes we do not think beyond these systems. Perhaps our products are not healthy for our customers. Perhaps beyond that, the feedstocks and raw materials may not be sustainable or may cause harm to the providers.

Seth Godin writes on a recent blog, “The chocolate we buy at the supermarket furthers the goals of the system, and directly harms the lives of the impoverished farmers who grow the cacao.”

We have built a system to optimize mass production of chocolate treats. Competing at the lowest common denominator drives us to find the lowest cost of everything. Lowest cost for commodities such as cocoa or coffee (in another context) begins a vicious cycle that culminates in the farmers at the end of the chain living on subsistence income.

And the quality suffers. Have you ever tried a pour over of a direct trade coffee versus a coffee from Starbucks? The same with chocolates. The quality of the source matters. My first experience of good chocolates came from automation industry legend Dick Morley.

Back to Seth Godin.

My friend Shawn Askinosie has written about this eloquently, and I’m thrilled to be working with him and his daughter to create a collectible chocolate bar. You can find the details here.

As you contemplate chocolate purchases this month, don’t buy cheap chocolates.

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