Giveaway: Kopali Organics
Win 1 of 3 FREE bags of Fair Trade Certified Kopali Chocolate Bananas! Find out how at the bottom of this post.Kopali Organics: What’s In A Name?
Founder Zak Zaildman at the source of their cacao in Peru.
Did you know Kopali (ko*pah*lee) is an ancient Mexican Nahuatl word meaning “incense”, particularly identified with the forms of tree sap resin used as a ceremonially-burned incense in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and by descendents to this day?
To us, this represents the lifeblood of trees, rootedness to the earth, our commitment to indigenous cultures, and a reminder of our sacred connection to the natural world we are all a part of. We put the word “Organics” right in the name of our company because we always and only use organic ingredients, which means they are grown without the use of harmful chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or fertilizers.
Did you know Organic farming is not just important for your well-being, the well being of your loved ones, and the ecology of the planet we all share? It is also a matter of social justice, because in ‘non organic agriculture’, innocent farmers, their families, and communities living downstream are all exposed to harmful chemicals.
Kopali Organics Zak Zaildman and Fair Trade Towns Billy Linstead Goldsmith spoke at The Culinary Institute of America in suypport of the Fair Trade Universities campaign last fast.
Fair Trade As Our Founding Philosophy
Once upon a time most of each dollar that was spent on food went to those who grew it. Today almost none of it does. To us at Kopali, small organic farmers are the true unsung heroes of our time who still practice truly sustainable agriculture. They are the ones who know how to grow food in a way that is not harmful to our health, to their own health and the health of their families, and to the health of all life. Sadly, small organic farmers have gotten the short end of the stick in our current global commerce system. It’s nobody’s fault in particular – it’s a consequence of complex trends and dynamics. But it is our collective opportunity to proactively support the kind of commerce that supports right livelihoods and good lives for the farmers who feed us.
Founding Kopali, we were tremendously inspired by the fair trade movement’s vision for us to harness our power in the marketplace as consumers, to pay more and demand more – to actually “value” fairness and sustainability. You know Kopali Chocolate is certified fair trade by Fair Trade USA, to empower farmers and farm workers to lift themselves out of poverty, ensuring fair wages, fair prices, and development premiums for the farming communities who grow our cacao, and prohibiting slave and child labor. What you may not know is that we founded Kopali while living and farming in the rainforest – specifically to invite you, through delighting in the sweet goodness of pure organic chocolate perfection, to join us in supporting sustainable farmers in caring for their families, communities, and the ecosystems that sustain all life. (No after-the-fact “slap on a seal” for us!) That was our founding mission when we started Kopali, and that remains our deep purpose and the “why” behind what we do every day.
Invitation To Our Journey
We see the practices behind our fair trade certification as a critical step – but just the beginning. As we grow, we are increasingly working directly with our growing communities for positive social and environmental impact, and will deepen the relationships especially made possible because we craft everything directly at the point-of-origin. As we write this today, we are planning our next trip to Peru for later this summer, where we will be planning ever-increasing connection and support…
Join us on Twitter, Facebook, and our website to learn more, and to follow us on that upcoming trip to Peru. We will share with you more of the specific ways you directly support a more sustainable and compassionate world each time you enjoy a bag of Kopali chocolate goodness!
We LOVE connecting with our fans – we are honored and awed by the passion you share for this work (and our chocolate). Thank you for supporting us, and making it all possible! You are a critical part of our team – there are only 7 of us at Kopali, so your support is so greatly appreciated, asking for Kopali Chocolates at stores, sharing our story with others, and more. Thank you!
And Now For The Best Part….
For the first time EVER you can order Kopali chocolate goodness directly from our website! To celebrate the occasion we are offering a very deep discount for each case of Kopali Chocolate Banana, AND we are donating 100% of profits to The Sylvia Center, Inspiring Children To Eat Well™!
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