Seeing through transparency in the craft chocolate industry: The what, how, and why of cacao sourcing

Abstract

Transparency is a defining feature of the craft chocolate industry, but with the lack of benchmarks or regulations for this budding industry, entrepreneurs and stakeholders interpret and apply transparency in different ways. In general, transparency appears to be motivated by the aim to improve environmental and social outcomes in cacao origins, but with a lack of rigorous scientific evidence attributing transparency to such outcomes, the extent to which society benefits from industry transparency remains unclear. We provide a first step towards understanding the potential impact of transparency by studying how craft chocolate makers define the concept. Specifically, we ask what information is being disclosed, by whom, how, and why. Our practice-based research methods include collaboration with a key actor in the craft chocolate community: The Chocolate Alliance, an industry platform based in the United States. We employed an iterative mixed-methods approach by engaging 67 research participants in a survey and 13 in semi-structured interviews. Our study indicates that while ethical cacao sourcing is a significant motivator for transparency, craft chocolate makers were also driven by product quality and supply chain objectives. Notably, makers prioritized sharing information they believe will resonate with consumers and encourage purchase, challenging the notion that these companies are wholly driven by non-market goals.