Five North Chocolate

Benjamin Conard , United States

Benjamin founded Five North Chocolate in March 2016 as a fair trade, sustainable social enterprise selling high quality confectionery. Five North has sold 5,000 chocolate pouches to date, with plans to expand operations in 2018. Five North Chocolate is a fair trade certified social enterprise that sells antioxidant-rich, vegan dark chocolate with superfoods in bite-sized pieces sold by the pouch. The chocolate is 72% cacao and all inclusions have additional health benefits, making the confectionary snack health conscious as well as socially conscious. All cocoa used in production is certified by Fair Trade USA which means that farmers are guaranteed a fair wage for their labour, and that farms are held to high standards of working conditions and environmental standards. Every fair trade certified purchase adds an additional social premium which is sent back to the farming community. During his time in Bogotá for the One Young World 2017 Summit, Ben was invited to speak to students studying business and entrepreneurship at Universidad de la Sabana, and he was taken on a tour of a local chocolate factory. At the Summit he was able to connect with Barry Callebaut, one of the world's largest cocoa producers.