A large chocolate manufacturer has just released a new “Dubai Style” chocolate, now on shelves in Australia for $20 a block.

There’s no doubt pistachio and pastry filling sound indulgent. But it raises a question: when chocolate can be produced so cheaply at scale, who actually benefits from such a premium price?

The $20 Question

Supermarket shelves now carry chocolate priced at $20 a block. That price tag signals luxury, but it doesn’t necessarily signal fairness. The people who grow the cocoa are rarely the ones who see the benefit of higher retail prices.

Who Really Gets Paid?

Most of the world’s cocoa comes from West Africa. Studies estimate that more than 1.5 million children are involved in hazardous cocoa work in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. These two countries alone supply about 60–70% of the world’s cocoa.

Yet, cocoa farmers often receive only 5–11% of the final retail price of a chocolate bar. So when a multinational sells a $20 block, it doesn’t usually mean growers are earning more — it often means the brand is leveraging marketing, packaging, and positioning.

How Small Makers Differ

At Federation Chocolate, we take a different approach. We choose premium ingredients, pay higher prices for our cacao, and maintain closer relationships with our sources. It costs more to make, but it means more of the value goes into people and ingredients rather than branding alone.

That’s the real difference between craft chocolate and mass production: not just flavour, but fairness.

Why We Speak Up

We sometimes talk about this during tastings, and not everyone enjoys hearing it. Recently, someone even left us a one-star review after taking offence.

But we believe it matters. Chocolate can and should bring joy — not just for those eating it, but for the people who grow it.

And please—don’t send us hate mail for pointing this out, and don’t leave a one-star review to “punish” us, like someone did recently after a tasting experience with us. We’re simply trying to do our best to make the world a little better through our love of experiences and chocolate.

Taste the Difference

If you’d like to experience chocolate that tells a different story — one where flavour and fairness come together — come visit us at Federation Chocolate in Richmond, Tasmania, or explore our online store.

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