Chocolate Buyer 2025

8 DIVINE I n amarket where the big players can often seem to be on a race to the bottom, Divine is resolutely keeping things fair, honest, and unfailingly delicious – and has done since it was first launched in 1998. It has always done things differently, explains Lydia Stubbins, marketing director – and this approach has garnered a wealth of chocolate lovers as passionate about people and planet as they are about indulging well. “27 years ago, Divine was founded by the cocoa farmers of the Ghana Cocoa Cooperative, Kuapa Kokoo, so fromour inceptionwe’ve been working against themodel of themainstreambrands and on a mission tomake things better for the people at the root of our business – the people who grow, harvest, dry and ferment the beans that go into making our fabulous chocolate.” Indeed, peek behind the scenes of big brands and the figures are pretty stark, with only 6% of profits going to the farmers on average. Back in the nineties, when the brand launched in the UK and US, it was the only sustainably-minded option easily available to shoppers and went fromstrength to strength, but fast forward 10 years and “ethics became mainstream”, says Lydia. Passionate about doing good Greenwashing is now amajor issue within the food and drink industry, as brands of all sizes look to benefit from the growing consumer appetite for products that do good, but Divine is remaining resolutely transparent. “Fairtrade runs through our core, we’re B Corp, 20% of our profits go to the cocoa farmer, and we fund adult literacy and numeracy classes,” she continues – a far cry from the often hollow eco-angled cries fromsome larger brands. Divine also support tenants’ rights projects which benefit migrants and helps the industry move away fromchild labour. We’re serving a discerning shopper who knows what they’re paying for. That way, everybody wins – from the customer to the retailer and the farmers at Kuapa Kokoo @specialityfood packaging done in a premiumway,” says Lydia. “All of our new-look packaging features archways which serve as a window onto illustrations of the Kuapa Kokoo cocoa farms – something that nobody else can do, as only we have that traceability and knowwhere every last cocoa bean has come from.” The teamhas fully invested in making the new-look range visually stand up to the quality of the product inside, creating a glossy and embossed format, which together with the scene-setting illustrations present the quality, ethics and heritage of Divine beautifully. The future is looking bright for Divine as it stands on the cusp of an exciting new chapter. Consumer awareness is set to see a huge boost thanks to the team’s investment in billboards and digital media – and even a starring role on Channel 4 – so smart indies will be getting their orders in soon to secure their positions to benefit. “We’re serving a discerning shopper who knows what they’re paying for,” says Lydia. “That way, everybody wins – from the customer to the retailer and the farmers at Kuapa Kokoo.” A NEW INDULGENCE A brand new, entirely Fairtrade, hot chocolate range is soon to join the Divine roster in Milk, Salted Caramel and Hazelnut Praline varieties. Packaged in a box with a recyclable inner, it has been designed with the fine food shopper in mind – with the incredible cocoa that Divine is famed for, and Fairtrade sugar in lower levels than in mainstream options, without the price tag that comes with many premium hot chocolate offerings. There are plenty of other exciting products in the pipeline, too, so watch this space... An exciting chapter is in the offing for iconic sustainable brand Divine, and indies are set to reap the rewards NEW FRONTIERS A premium range designed for speciality retail While Divine may have started life onmultiples’ shelves, they are passionate about supporting their farmers via the discerning business owners and shoppers within the fine food sphere. “Ultimately, ethics come at a premium and we’re proud to supply products which not only do great work but also taste fantastic; it’s vital that we are delicious and attractive alongside our 100% Fairtrade operations.” Speaking of attractive, Divine is rolling out an exciting new look which beautifully combines its ethics and story with the premium quality it is renowned for. “It’s bright