RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION

The beginning of this new decade has been unusual and ever changing. A global pandemic has halted our lives and flipped our world upside down. Initially paralyzing us while we simultaneously look for ways to stay connected from afar and wrap our heads around the unpredictable. While navigating the unknown may be challenging, it is also a time that forces us to slow down and become more observant of the things that nurture us most. A time that enables us to tap into the subtle things that keep our days going as we take notice of the few essential needs, we often take for granted.

Stocking up on food and cooking, for example, have been two of the most important activities that fill up our days. While some flock to supermarkets, others may be lucky enough to buy directly from a farm/er or even start growing their own food. Having access to anything produced locally has quickly enhanced our wellbeing and become more appreciated. It’s a good time to continue learning where our food comes from, who grows it, and how it becomes available to both our survival, and the one of our provider’s.   

Twice a week I have a produce truck that circles my neighborhood from which I buy locally grown food. I have become highly appreciative of this moment because it feels like a privilege to engage with a hard-working immigrant who delivers an essential service at my door while he contributes to the food security of this place. I try to carry the value of these exchanges when I purchase other foods because I strongly believe that eating something with a good story behind it has the power to transform the taste of your dish.

Interestingly, I find this paradoxical moment in time where distancing us from one another ‘saves lives’, to present an opportunity. It could potentially help us unwind, tune into the value of our exchanges with our food providers and help us shift into adopting better practices. Towards consuming products with a conscious story behind them that contributes to our own, and collective wellbeing.

I find that República del Cacao is a company that operates on these key elements. It has disrupted the notion of ‘where good chocolate comes from’ and has brought it back to its roots. Concentrating on the fact that the world’s best cacao is originally from Latin America, it strives itself to source all ingredients from the region, and proudly make chocolate at its place of origin. Every product, and ingredient has a special story behind it that has been intentionally crafted to improve the quality of life on the local level, while sharing it on a global scale.

Gabriela López-Barry, Brand Manager República del Cacao USA