Let’s remember when Theo Chocolate made their first batch of chocolate bars, on this day in 2006 (February 14)
It’s Valentine’s Day, so why not commemorate it with a local business that has tried to make its image in one of benevolence? (Though not 100%, unfortunately.)
On February 14, 2006, Seattle-based Theo Chocolate makes its first batch of chocolate bars, becoming the nation’s first producer of organic and free-trade chocolates. The company, founded by Joe Whinney and Debra Music, distinguishes itself from other chocolate brands by buying directly from third-world cocoa farmers at a fair price and controlling the entire bean-to-bar process.
…and from Theo’s website:
Joe worked tirelessly to champion organic cocoa beans in the U.S. and promote Fair Trade practices for the people farming those beans. He built lasting relationships and deep trust with farmer groups — all the while focused on the goal of someday making chocolate himself and sharing his passion with the world.
Joe relocated along with co-founder Debra Music from Cambridge, Massachusetts to Seattle in the summer of 2004. Debra’s background in social marketing and consumer brand building were a perfect complement to Joe’s expertise in the sphere of sustainability. Together they spent two years creating the Theo brand concept and building the factory along with a small team.
In March of 2006, their dream came to life with Theo’s inaugural run of organic chocolate — the first made here in the U.S. Then, as now, Theo chocolate comes from only the purest ingredients grown in the most sustainable ways possible. Everything we make and sell meets the highest standards for organic, Fair Trade and Fair for Life.
For some further reading:
