Fairtrade chocolate brand Divine has re-entered the hot chocolate category after a short absence and unveiled a new look that reinforces its unique status as the only chocolate company that is co-owned by cocoa farmers.
Divine has been Fairtrade certified since its inception in 1998, when it became the second chocolate brand to join the movement. While its commitment to Fairtrade hasn’t waned, the company recognises that in today’s landscape, it would be difficult to differentiate itself through Fairtrade alone
“We’re not just a Fairtrade brand; we are a B Corp, and we are co-owned by cocoa farmers. That’s not something anyone else can claim. And that is why we have brought the farmers to the fore through the redesign,” Lydia Stubbins, group marketing director at Divine, told FFD.
And while Divine’s multi-layer relationship with the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative that can’t be communicated through design alone, its back-of-pack QR codes will help.
“It’s more than ‘we pay Fairtrade prices and we’re owned by them’. We also fund projects that can make meaningful change to their lives, from adult literacy and numeracy programmes to working with VisionSpring to make sure that farmers who need corrective eyeglasses have them,” said Stubbins.
As well as celebrating the farmers, the new design promotes the brand’s premium and flavour credentials in a way that the old packaging didn’t, she added.
Divine has also been busy developing a new hot chocolate range. Its previous hot chocolate was discontinued in 2024 when the supplier went bust, and now the brand is back with a new, improved product.
“Our old hot chocolate was good, but we knew it could be even better. By working on mouthfeel and the boldness of our flavours, we stepped it up a notch. We’ve chosen two of the most popular flavours in the hot chocolate category – Salted Caramel and Hazelnut Praline – and done them in a premium, ethical way,” said Stubbins.
“We’ve always known there has been an appetite for Divine hot chocolate – it is the most requested product on our website – and it makes sense that, having built a solid business in chocolate and chocolate bars, we expand into adjacent categories that use cocoa.”
This article first appeared in the January-February 2026 issue of Fine Food Digest.
