Which Chocolate Should You Actually Buy? A Brand-by-Brand Guide

Cadbury is the dominant chocolate brand across New Zealand, Australia and the UK, all owned by Mondelēz International since 2010. The sourcing is primarily West Africa (Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire), with Mondelēz's Cocoa Life program now also drawing from Ecuador, Brazil, and Nigeria. Cocoa Life is a self-administered scheme: in 2024 it was the subject of a US lawsuit alleging child labour and deforestation remained in the supply chain despite claims of "100% sustainably sourced cocoa." Oxfam's 2023 analysis named Mondelēz among the companies reaping profit growth while farmer incomes fell.

Conventional farming means pesticide residue risk across the range, with no organic sourcing. Lead contamination from West African post-harvest drying practices is a documented concern. Worth noting: Mondelēz also owns Green & Black's Organic, covered separately below, which carries genuine independent organic certification.

Mars is the world's largest chocolate company by revenue. Whatever brand name is on the wrapper, Galaxy and Maltesers in the UK and Australia, Dove in the US, the Mars bar and Snickers everywhere, the sourcing is the same. In 2023 a CBS News investigation found children as young as five working in the Ghana supply chain supplying cocoa for Snickers and M&M's. Mars holds no meaningful independent certification across its mainstream range. The Mars family collected $1.5 billion in dividends in 2024 while the farming families growing their key ingredient earn around two dollars a day.

No organic sourcing means conventional pesticide use throughout the range. Post-harvest lead contamination from West African drying is a documented concern. Mars products are among the worst-rated on worker welfare in every region they're sold in.

Hershey holds roughly a third of the entire US chocolate market by value. Its most popular lines carry no meaningful ethical certification. Hershey has faced repeated scrutiny over child labour and has made public commitments to supply chain traceability without delivering full visibility. Consumer Reports 2022 testing found multiple Hershey products with elevated lead and cadmium, and the Special Dark bar was among the worst performers in the entire study, earning Hershey the 🔴 on heavy metals that most other West African brands avoid.

Reese's adds a separate exposure pathway through conventionally grown peanuts. No organic sourcing means pesticide risk across the full range. Hershey's is a clean sweep of red across all three measures.

Nestlé switched from Fairtrade to Rainforest Alliance certification in 2018, widely interpreted as a cost-saving exercise. Rainforest Alliance doesn't guarantee a minimum price to farmers; premiums are negotiated, and the financial commitment to farming communities is lower than Fairtrade requires. Nestlé's chocolate sourcing remains in the conventional high-volume West African supply chain without meaningful farmer income protections.

No organic sourcing means conventional pesticide use across the range. West African sourcing means typical post-harvest lead contamination risk. A technical step above Mars on certification paper, but not meaningfully different in practice for most consumers.

Ferrero holds Rainforest Alliance certification on its cocoa sourcing and has invested in some direct farmer programmes in West Africa, placing it marginally above Mars or uncertified Hershey's on worker conditions. But Rainforest Alliance doesn't guarantee living income pricing or fixed premiums. No organic sourcing means conventional pesticide use. Ferrero's focus on hazelnuts alongside cocoa adds a separate supply chain, and Kinder products marketed at children carry conventional farming residue risks through both ingredients.

Lindt occupies a premium price point and carries partial Rainforest Alliance certification, a fraction better than Cadbury and Mars on worker conditions, though Rainforest Alliance still doesn't guarantee minimum prices and Lindt's cocoa origins are not transparently disclosed. Consumer Reports 2022 flagged Lindt's Excellence 85% for elevated lead and the Excellence 70% for elevated cadmium. No organic sourcing means conventional pesticide risk throughout the range. Better than the worst mainstream options but well short of the ethical alternatives on all three measures.

Whittaker's is New Zealand-owned and operated, and some blocks carry Fairtrade certification. It's worth knowing that Fairtrade certification industry-wide only results in actual Fairtrade terms on around a third of cocoa sold under that label, so the presence of the mark is a positive signal but not a guarantee of farmer outcomes. It's also unclear whether the full cocoa supply is Fairtrade certified or only certain lines; check the label. There is no organic sourcing, so conventional pesticide risk applies across the range. If you're buying supermarket chocolate in New Zealand or Australia and want to stay within the mainstream, a Whittaker's Fairtrade-certified block is a better option than most alternatives on the shelf.

Solomons Gold is the only brand in this guide to score 🟢 across all three measures. It sources certified organic cacao exclusively from the Solomon Islands, working directly with over 90 village grower groups and farming families. The supply chain runs from cacao growing in the islands to manufacturing in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. Farmers are paid 20% above the standard cocoa price, significantly higher than typical Fairtrade pricing. The organic certification confirms what the farming practices already reflect: no synthetic pesticides or chemicals are used, with the cacao growing in a pristine natural ecosystem using traditional methods.

The heavy metals picture is genuinely different here. Solomons Gold has had its cacao beans independently lab-tested, with both lead and cadmium reported as not detected. Pacific Island soil geology is among the lowest in cadmium globally, and the natural drying methods mean less post-harvest lead exposure than West African sun-drying on open ground. The chocolate is also 100% allergen-free: no dairy, gluten, nuts, soy, or refined sugar. If you're in New Zealand or Australia and want the cleanest profile across every measure in this guide, this is it.

Available direct from Solomons Gold and through selected NZ retailers. Shop here.

Alter Eco carries Fairtrade and organic certification and is widely available in mainstream retail. It's worth noting that Fairtrade certification, while the strongest available standard on paper, only results in actual Fairtrade terms on around a third of cocoa sold under that label industry-wide, meaning the premium doesn't always flow through to farmers as reliably as the certification implies. That said, Alter Eco also works with farmer cooperatives in Ecuador (UNOCACE, producing Cacao Nacional Arriba) and Peru (Acopagro, in the Amazon basin) using regenerative farming practices, and has intentionally avoided West African sourcing due to child labour concerns. Organic certification means no synthetic pesticides.

On heavy metals: like most chocolate, some lead and cadmium is present. Organic certification doesn't change soil composition or post-harvest handling. The 🟡 on heavy metals reflects the same reality as every other brand in this guide except Solomons Gold. At normal consumption levels the risk for adults is low, but worth being aware of if serving to young children regularly.

Bennetto is a New Zealand brand making organic, Fairtrade certified dark chocolate. Founder Lucy Bennetto has visited the farming communities personally and publishes specific sourcing information. The chocolate is made in Christchurch, with some products manufactured in Switzerland. Organic certification means no synthetic pesticides. As with all Fairtrade certified chocolate, it's worth noting that the certification doesn't guarantee Fairtrade pricing on every sale. Industry-wide, only around a third of cocoa sold under Fairtrade labels actually trades on Fairtrade terms. Bennetto's named cooperative relationships and transparent sourcing give it more credibility than many Fairtrade labels.

The cocoa comes from the Acopagro cooperative in the San Martin region of Peru. Acopagro's story is worth knowing: before 1994, many of these farmers were trapped growing coca crops for drug traffickers. A UN transition program enabled the switch to cocoa, and the cooperative has thrived for decades since. On heavy metals, like most chocolate, some lead and cadmium is present. The 🟡 reflects this reality rather than any specific concern with Bennetto.

Pico Organic is a New Zealand brand carrying both Fairtrade and organic certification. The cocoa is sourced from South and Central American farming communities using traditional growing and harvesting techniques, then crafted into bars by master chocolatiers in Switzerland. Fairtrade certification means the cooperatives meet independently verified standards including no child labour and fair pricing, though it's worth knowing that industry-wide, only around a third of cocoa sold under Fairtrade labels actually trades on Fairtrade terms, so certification is a positive signal rather than a guarantee. Organic certification means no synthetic pesticides.

On heavy metals: like most chocolate, some lead and cadmium is present. South and Central American sourcing means Latin American volcanic soils naturally higher in cadmium than West African origins. The 🟡 reflects this. At typical adult consumption the risk is low. Pico is also vegan, gluten-free, and palm oil-free.

Pana Organic is an Australian brand with certified organic, vegan, and gluten-free chocolate across a wide range of products. The organic certification is independently verified and covers the full range, meaning no synthetic pesticides, no artificial preservatives, and no GMO ingredients. The cocoa is single origin from Peru, which Pana has used since the beginning for quality reasons. The product range is notably broad: dark, mylk, white, caramel, spreads, and baking products, all carrying organic credentials.

The 🟡 on worker conditions reflects the absence of Fairtrade or equivalent independent certification for farmer welfare. Organic certification covers how the cocoa is grown, not what the farmers are paid or whether labour standards are met. It's also worth noting that Fairtrade certification itself is an imperfect signal: industry-wide, only around a third of cocoa sold under Fairtrade labels actually trades on Fairtrade terms. Pana is transparent about sourcing origin, which is a positive, but without independent farmer welfare certification it sits behind brands like Alter Eco and Bennetto on that measure. On heavy metals, like most chocolate, some lead and cadmium is present. Peru sourcing means the Latin American cadmium picture applies here.

Beyond Good (formerly Madécasse) takes the most radical approach to supply chain fairness in the US market: it manufactures chocolate in Madagascar itself, keeping more economic value in the producing country than any other model available to American consumers. Working directly with heirloom cacao farming families, paying significantly above commodity prices, and manufacturing locally means a fundamentally different economic equation than certification alone can achieve. No synthetic pesticides are used. For US buyers who want to support a brand actively restructuring the economics of the cocoa trade, Beyond Good is the strongest option available.

On heavy metals: Consumer Reports 2022 flagged some Beyond Good bars for measurable cadmium and lead, the same 🟡 reality shared by most chocolate. The company tests annually and acknowledges naturally occurring levels in their products.

Equal Exchange is a worker-owned cooperative operating on fair trade principles since 1986, long before fair trade certification became a marketing tool for multinationals. As a worker co-op with no external shareholders, its fair trade commitment is structural rather than a label: democratic decision-making, full traceability to named cooperatives, and long-term direct trading relationships. This distinguishes it from many brands where Fairtrade certification is present but, as is the case industry-wide, Fairtrade terms apply to only around a third of the cocoa sold. In 2018 the company also began sourcing from a cooperative in Togo (West Africa) to diversify its supply base. Organic certification means no synthetic pesticides across the range.

On heavy metals: like most chocolate, some lead and cadmium is present. Consumer Reports flagged their Panama Extra Dark bar for elevated levels in 2022 testing. For US and UK readers who want a genuinely principled worker-owned cooperative with full Fairtrade and organic credentials, Equal Exchange is worth seeking out through independent retailers and online.

Green & Black's occupies an unusual position. The organic certification is genuine and independently verified, ruling out synthetic pesticides. The brand also carries Fairtrade certification on most lines, though as with all Fairtrade-labelled products, this is a positive signal rather than a guarantee. Industry-wide, only around a third of cocoa sold under Fairtrade labels actually trades on Fairtrade terms. More significantly, Green & Black's has been owned by Mondelēz International since 2010, the same company behind Cadbury. The certifications address farming practices at cooperative level but don't change the broader corporate accountability picture.

On heavy metals: Consumer Reports 2022 found the 70% bar with elevated lead and cadmium, in line with the 🟡 reality shared by most chocolate. If you're in a market where better options aren't accessible, Green & Black's Organic dark bars are still a better choice than conventional alternatives on both worker conditions and pesticides.