Guittard agrees UK Waitrose deal for stocking its Fairtrade chocolate chips
US premium chocolate business Guittard has released its Fairtrade certified chips into UK Waitrose stores to meet consumer demand for home confectionery and bakery making amid the ongoing pandemic.
The San Francisco Bay area company, which has upheld strong sustainability principles across its international activities, has been crafting its chocolate since 1868 using traditional French methods.
A favourite of the baking and chocolate world, it is the preferred chocolate of GBBO winner Edd Kimber, Paul A Young, Benjamina Ebuehi and Lily Vanilli along with having been the chocolate of choice for the recent Bakers Against Racism bake sale. The listing marks the first time British consumers will be able to buy the premium chocolate from a supermarket.
The two Fairtrade certified launch varieties are the incredibly popular 31% cocoa Milk Chocolate Maxi, the extra-large milk chip delivers smooth and creamy dairy notes with a classic chocolate flavour. Guittard were the first company to launch milk chocolate chips into the US market in the early 1950s.
The 63% cocoa Extra Dark Chocolate Chips are an innovative extra intense chip with subtle notes of vanilla, perfect for a rich chocolate hit the delivers every time.
Significantly, the Guittard Chocolate Company remains the oldest continuously family-owned and operated chocolate making business in the United States, and is now run by the 4th generation President, CEO and Chocolate Maker,Gary, who is joined by his daughter Amy and nephew Clark.
Under them, the firm continues to raise the bar with their passion for honourable sourcing, crafting the highest quality chocolate, providing the best service, and setting new standards for the industry, an approach that is illustrated by their mission to Cultivate Better.
At the heart of the company’s ethic is a belief in combining tradition and adventurous innovation, in a way that not only cares for the environment but also looks after constructive relationships with their extended family of customers, co-workers, farmers and suppliers.
With a passion for promoting the sustainability of the cocoa growing regions and the wellbeing of cocoa workers, Guittard’s uncompromising attitude towards sourcing and dedication to building and nurturing relationships with their growers are hallmarks of its “quality from the ground up” approach.
Through its Cultivate Better Cocoa, it engages with cooperatives and development partners to create comprehensive programs that boost primary income streams by collaborating with farmers to improve and protect the unique flavour profiles of their cocoa. The premiums it receives are directly allocated to supporting farm-level quality and flavour investments, gender equality, income diversification, health, nutrition, and agroforestry initiatives.
