Much of the chocolate on sale in the UK contains palm oil.
Palm oil is one of the most widely consumed oils in the world and appears in around 50% of all the products in the supermarket.
Grown in tropical places like Indonesia, Malaysia, Borneo, Thailand, Colombia and Nigeria this plant oil is threatening natural wildlife, destroying biodiverse forests, destroying habitats and pushing animals like orangutans, tigers, elephants and rhinos closer towards extinction than ever.
So, if we care about our planet and we want to ensure these beautiful species stick around for our grandkids, we need to start making more ethical shopping choices and seek out palm oil-free chocolate brands instead.
Here’s our pick of the top palm oil-free chocolate brands available in the UK. Be prepared for your mouth to water!
Booja Booja
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Booja Booja is an award-winning company that produces delicious, organic, dairy-free, gluten-free, soya-free and vegan chocolate and ice cream.
With just a small team of 37, they combine the bare minimum of ingredients to create melt-in-the-mouth truffles and luxurious ice-creams that don’t just taste great, they’re eco-friendly too.
Their packaging is also gorgeously indulgent, featuring truffle boxes, gift boxes, palm oil-free Easter eggs and a gourmet selection of truffles. Yum!
They also have a strong ethos, believing strongly in building long-term relationships of trust, cooperation and openness with their suppliers whilst also investing a percentage of their profits back into the local and global community.
We really recommend their dark chocolate truffles collection. The collection consists of some mouthwatering flavours – hazel crunch, almond salted caramel, stem ginger, and more. These truffles are also suitable for coeliacs.
Read more about Booja Booja here.
Chocolat Madagascar
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If you’re looking for indulgence and luxury without the ecological cost, select Chocolat Madagascar. They’re winners of the Golden Bean Award and growers of a very unique and delicious cocoa bean from Madagascar that’s a cut above the rest.
They offer a huge range of palm oil-free chocolates, cacao nibs and cocoa butter which are free from chemical processes, added flavours and added preservatives. They even have organic and vegan options to choose from too.
For optimal freshness, their chocolate factory is located close to the cocoa plantations, allowing them to process from bean to bar in just days. You can really taste the difference!
We love the fact they offer a range of chocolate intensities ranging from 34% cocoa (for their white chocolate) right up to a deliciously satisfying 100% cocoa (for hard-core chocolate fans like us).
Read more about Chocolat Madagascar here.
Chocolat Madagascar’s Single Origin Fine Dark Chocolate is a Golden Bean Award winner. This is your go-to if you enjoy dark chocolate.
Divine
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Divine is an award-winning London-based chocolate company that doesn’t just make stunning chocolates- it’s also driven by a social mission.
100% fairly traded and owned by cocoa farmers, they believe that cocoa farmers deserve to earn more from their cocoa, that sustainable alternatives to palm oil must be found and that community is what really counts.
Whether you’re looking for palm oil-free Easter eggs, boxes of chocolates for loved ones, stunning gifts for loved ones, vegan chocolate, mint crisps for after dinner and even cocoa powder, you’ll find the perfect option here.
We love their high cocoa content bars which boast cacao nibs, blueberry and red quinoa, lemon, turmeric and ginger, and much more.
Read more about Divine Chocolate here.
We recommend Divine’s Milk Chocolate with Almond and Salted Caramel for the divine taste.
Beyond Good
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If you prefer simplicity when it comes to chocolate and you want to know where it actually comes from, pick Beyond Good for your next treat.
Created using heirloom cocoa sourced directly from farmers in Madagascar, their palm oil-free chocolate is GMO-free, vegan, gluten-free, kosher and soya free too.
With effortlessly good flavours like Toasted Coconut, Sea Salt and Nibs and Honey Crystal, they know that chocolate doesn’t have to be complicated to taste good.
Winners of the New York Chocolate Show 2009, this company started as Peace Corps Volunteers in Madagascar who saw the change needed in the chocolate industry and vowed to do something about it.
Now they work with the poorest communities to create chocolate which tastes good and also has a strong social conscience.
Beyond good has recently changed his name from Madécasse. Read more about Beyond Good here.
One of the best chocolates from Beyond Good is their Madecasse 80% cocoa pure dark chocolate bar which is made from USDA certified organic heirloom cocoa.
Montezuma’s
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Montezuma’s is a fantastic British chocolate company that started life on a kitchen table back in 2000.
Now employing a team of 70 people, they’re passionate about innovation and they boast an incredible range of palm oil-free chocolates with flavours like White Chocolate Truffle, Chili and Lime, Milk Chocolate Sunflower and Sesame Seeds and many more (you really need to check out their range!).
They’re perfect for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day Gift Hampers, and whenever else ethical chocolate is needed.
They’ll even deliver to your home if you like.
Excitingly, they’re palm oil-free, they use non-bleached cane sugar, they have vegan and gluten-free options and Dutch Processed for a smoother, fuller flavour.
Read more about Montezuma’s here.
One of the most interesting products by Montezumas is their Cocoa Giant Dark Chocolate Buttons.
Seed and Bean
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Seed and Bean’s cute chocolate creations are certified organic, fair trade, vegan, palm oil-free and even come in a fully compostable package.
These guys have chocolate flavours that we’re sure no one has ever thought about before, such as Aromatic Fennel, Sweet Orange and Thyme, and Lavender (as well as the usual Chili and Lime, Coffee Espresso, Just Ginger and classic Mint.)
They’re also obsessed with organic, passionate about preventing animal cruelty and continually invest in the local community of cocoa farmers to improve conditions and quality of life.
Read more about Seed and Bean here.
The Extra Dark Mint Chocolate by Seed and Bean is one of the most distinct flavours on this list. This chocolate is also handmade in England.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are so many palm oil-free chocolate options available that there’s really no excuse not to choose ethical brands and make a difference to the world.
So why not give these chocolates a try so you can choose your favourite. Yeah, it’s a hard job, but somebody has to do it!
The thing about chocolates is that everyone likes a different one. So go ahead and try some of these brands and we’re sure you’ll land on your favourite one after some fun with it.
For some more palm oil-free products, see these articles:
- Which Shampoos Are Palm Oil Free in the UK?
- Which Bread Is Palm Oil Free in the UK?
- Where to Buy Palm Oil Free Products in the UK
Charlotte Witts is a writer and entrepreneur who wants to show you how easy it is to live a more conscious, zero-waste lifestyle. A confirmed yoga-addict, trail runner and ocean-lover, she currently lives in the Azores where she enjoys the simple pleasures in life.
Willies Cacao is palm oil free. Made in Devon, it’s available in Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, or you can buy it from Ocado. This is my favourite chocolate and it’s made from the cocoa bean, no additives only whole flavours. Of course, you can buy it on line, which is an excellent option as you can see any new lines or flavours. Please add it to your list.
Green and Blacks is owned by Mondelez. So, if you do care about this planet, Green and Blacks shouldn’t be on this list.
Waitrose Belgian Milk doesn’t list palm oil as an ingredient.
Green&Blacjs salted caramel has palm oil.
The chocolate listed here tends to be more expensive, but standard Sainsbury’s brand chocolate (made in Germany) is cheap and excellent. And it doesn’t include palm oil. In fact it’s my favourite chocolate, even accounting for these more pricy options.