Is Hershey’s cocoa powder vegan? It is in that it doesn’t contain any non-vegan ingredients. Read on to learn more about some issues that might concern you if you’re a strict vegan.
I wrote about this in my Is Cocoa Powder Vegan? post, but here’s a summary.
While pure cocoa powder is vegan, the production of cocoa powder and chocolate has certain ethical issues. And if you’re worried about trace amounts of non-vegan ingredients in your cocoa powder, read on for more.
Cross-contamination during production
Although pure cocoa powder is naturally vegan, cross-contamination could be an issue if the cocoa is packaged in a facility that also produces non-vegan products.
That equipment may or may not be cleaned when switching between products. Some manufacturers are careful when switching, but some are not. This could, unfortunately, lead to cross-contamination.
Unfair agricultural + trade practices
Workers on the cocoa farms are often subjected to extremely unsafe working conditions, nor are they paid fairly. And on top of that, the farmers usually only receive a small share of the profit.
One way to combat this issue is to buy fair-trade products.
Child labor
Because the farmers don’t make enough money and the demand for cacao beans is so high, they sadly sometimes employ children laborers.
A study conducted at Tulane University in 2015 showed that just in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, almost 2 million children (from ages 5 to 17) work on cocoa farms. And over 500,000 of them work in abusive conditions.
It is an awful, awful situation.
I found this 2020 press release from Hershey’s. They talk about how they’re now using 100% sustainable and certified cocoa and are “committing to 100% direct-sourced cocoa in high-risk areas by 2025.”
So they are making efforts! It could be better, sure, but they’re headed in the right direction.
I also read in this article on The Guardian about how Hershey’s is using certified sustainable cocoa, but the farmers might not actually be seeing the benefits.
It’s definitely a tricky situation. If you’d like to know more about brands that are Fairtrade, read the post I mentioned at the beginning of the post.
I hope I’ve answered your question! Any others? Leave them below and I’d be happy to answer them!
