The Story
In 2005, Stephen Rudkin started The Organic Seed & Bean Company. His dream was simple: to invent a range of ethical chocolates that made you go 'wow' whenever you tried them. In fact, Stephen only sends his recipes to be produced if he gets a 'wow' whilst tasting them.
Stephen makes Seed and Bean bars in an ethical manner as he believes that all food should be made in this manner by default. He's sure that the ethical nature of the chocolate bars don't distract from their taste.
The Ethics of Seed and Bean
The whole production process of Seed and Bean takes into consideration its ethical and green impact. The cocoa, which comes from Ecuador, The Dominican Republic and The Sao Tome Islands, is both organic and fair-trade. The suppliers that Seed and Bean use there grow cocoa in organic and sustainable ways, and are paid much higher than average.
Seed and Bean bars are made in a small production facility in Northamptonshire. Compared to most chocolate which isn't made in the UK, it being made locally saves food miles and provides local employment. Fuel and carbon emissions are also saved through the bars being delivered in multi-drop vehicles. Even the smallest details in the process have been thought of, as the foil wrappers are compostable.
The Good Shopper Guide gave Seed and Bean 100% on their Ethical Chocolate ranking, the only chocolate brand which got it. Clearly their focus on ethics has been noticed.
The Range
Each Seed and Bean bar batch can be tasted and tweaked, so as to complement the differing chocolate taste (depending on the time of the year).
Stephen aims to make each Seed and Bean bar give you a 'kaleidoscopic moment of pleasure', and that's why his flavours are so bold. There's no guilt either, as we put his mini bars in our pantries. The flavours are:
- Extra Dark Chocolate
- Rich Tangerine Milk Chocolate
- Hazelnut & Almond Milk Chocolate