OUR MISSION   Creating the Best Chocolate on Earth through Innovation, Tradition and a Sustainable Global Community

We strive to efficiently create the best chocolate on earth by blending tradition with adventurous innovation in a way that nurtures our environment and cultivates constructive relationships amongst our extended family of customers, co-workers, farmers and suppliers.

OUR COMMITMENT   Making our Contribution to a Better World

Guittard Chocolate products are created from cocoa beans that are sourced from around the world for their quality and their sustainability. Cocoa growing is unique because 80% of the world crop is produced on 10 acres or less. It is not a mass production commodity and requires unique considerations.  Some of our cocoa beans are bought through direct relationships with the cocoa bean farmers. Some are sourced through agents that the farmers choose to represent their products.  We pay a premium well over the market value for the high quality cocoa beans used in our Guittard Chocolate products.

We feel strongly about global efforts toward sustainability of the environment of the cocoa growing regions and the well being of cocoa workers.  We are members of The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), a public-private member group of stakeholders in cocoa.  The members represent many world governments, world banks, private foundations, researchers, and producers.  Through WCF we are funding partners along with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others, of the Cocoa Livelihoods Program (CLP) that delivers essential support to ensure quality of life for the farmers through sustainable cocoa growing.  And we are funding partners along with USAID and others, in Empowering Cocoa Households with Opportunities and Education Solutions, the ECHOES program.  To learn more, see http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org.

We are licensed by Fair Trade USA® - for greater profit for the farmer.  We source cocoa beans that are Rainforest Alliance Certified - for greater sustainability.  I am a volunteer member of the Fairtrade Labelling Organization's Cocoa Products Advising Council - a diverse group of cocoa community experts providing strategic advice on Fair Trade Certification of cocoa.

The most important evidence of our commitment to our customers is that our fine chocolate products bear our trademark and family name, Guittard, which we have worked very hard for over 140 years to ensure, will always carry the meaning of quality and integrity.