Evaluation of Theo Chocolate
To:| Jeffrey Galbraith| From:| Master Minds- Kirstin Miner, Madeleine Roberts, Alyssa Tan, Jen Penza| Date:| March 5, 2013 | Re:| Evaluation of Theo Chocolate | | | | | Hello Jeff! Team Master Minds is excited to share with you today our findings on Theo Chocolate’s social responsibility record and why they are proud to say they stand by their word. They pride themselves on being the only Organic, Fair Trade, Fair for Life certified, Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Factory in North America.
They are passionate about their product and about preserving the natural environment where the cacao bean grows in order to keep the industry strong and profitable, all the while making the customers healthy and happy. Below we have prepared for you some of the important components of what makes Theo Chocolate stand out from the rest of the chocolate market as far as ethics and social responsibility. What is the mission of Theo Chocolate? “We’re dedicated to making our world a better place.
And we’re finding ways to do it through our passion—bringing out the best of the cocoa bean. We are all connected. We touch one another’s lives in incredible ways. And we are responsible to and for one another. From the cacao farmer in the Congo, to the truck driver in Seattle, to the chocolate lover in Philadelphia—there is a thread that runs through us all. Theo believes in celebrating those connections, in strengthening them and in finding inspiration within them—inspiration to change the world.
We know that every action has a result. That the choices we make here in Seattle, Washington touch lives across the planet in real and lasting ways. That knowledge, and that responsibility, is what drives us to do things differently, to help make the world a better place. We think about every choice we make, every action we take and how it will impact our interconnected world. ” A brief history of the company: Theo Chocolate was founded by Joe Whitney, the first to pioneer the supply of rganic cocoa beans into the United States in the year 1994. He fell in love with making chocolate when he explored the tropics of Central America and Africa. He had such passion for the land and the people farming there. The dedication to the farming people allowed him to explore further into the land and farmers, both of which were being exploited. He felt he had to do something to make a difference. He spent the next ten years promoting organic cocoa beans in the U. S. as well Fair Trade practices for those who farm the beans.
He developed trusting, long-lasting relationships with the farmers in order to fulfill his dream of making chocolate and sharing it with the world. His next step was to team up with Sales and Marketing expertise Debra Music. They moved to Seattle in 2004 where they began creating the brand and building the factory with a small team. In 2006 Joe’s dream was brought to life with the first inaugural run. From there on out the company prides themselves on using the purest ingredients grown in the most sustainable ways. What is the nature of the company?
Customers: Theo’s customers are probably educated consumers who care about where their food comes from, how it is produced, and whether any mistreatment of the environment or workers is involved in producing the product. In today’s society being “healthy” is the message sent across America to make a part of your lifestyle in order to live longer and maintain health. Therefore Americans don’t feel as bad when they know they are eating chocolate that is better for them that is why Theo Chocolate has developed a niche in the cocoa industry and have created a high demand that equips to today’s values.
Products: Theo produces organic, fair-trade chocolate. Products include Chocolate Bars, Caramels, Confections, Specialty, and Gift Confections. The products are absolutely 100% organic without any synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilizers and are not exposed to industrial solvents or food additives. The suppliers of the cocoa bean is constantly changing, Theo works with farmer groups and grower cooperative throughout the world. Currently the beans come primarily from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Peru.
The company makes sure that the process from which the beans turn into chocolate involves completely ethical behavior where all parties involved are treated fairly. Evaluate code of conduct/ ethics. Theo Chocolates hopes to provide for its employees a stimulating work environment, opportunities for personal growth, and job satisfaction. Transparency is at the heart of the company’s values. They believe that being open to all who want to know about the company leads to trusting relationships with customers and suppliers.
If you’re not open about your business it makes people think you have something to hide and that is something that can turn customers away from their product. Theo Chocolate is grateful for the talented team members, which is always an important practice within a business. It means that the company values their employees and wants to treat them the way they deserve to be treated. If employees know that they are truly valued they will be motivated to work extremely hard to make their company succeed which is what a company wants of its employees.
Their policies and practices may change over time but Theo Chocolate remains to have core values intact which include being committed to enriching the lives of farmers, suppliers, shareholders, partners and employees. The company has developed the handbook to help their employees understand general expectations and benefits of working with them and also to answer any questions people may have. This is very important as it so that potential and current employees know what they’re getting into and there are standards that are set so that employees are held accountable for their actions.
Evaluate social responsibility using the Porter model. Because their customers demand socially responsible products, it’s in Theo’s best interest to promote its products this way. Therefore, by marketing their products as Fair Trade, Theo can increase profits while maintaining social responsibility. The following excerpt is from Theo’s website: “The sources of our cocoa beans are always changing. We work with farmer groups and grower cooperatives throughout the world to ensure we are always getting the best beans possible.
Currently, our beans come primarily from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Peru. We have been actively cultivating supply chain in Tanzania for the last several years. ” They can also benefit both their social responsibility record and increase profits when they help support the communities that produce the ingredients they use. . ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Our Mission | Theo. n. d. Web. 5 March 2013. . [ 2 ]. Theo – Shop. n. d. Web. March 5 2013. < https://www. theochocolate. com/shop>
