Concerns have been raised today about the use of child labour in the supply chain for Nutella and Kinder. The major supermarkets in Australia are responding to a BBC investigation which found hazelnut farms in Turkey (where 75% of the world’s hazelnuts are produced) are ‘rife’ with migrant children working long hours for low pay. The supermarkets are worried that the 11,000 tonnes of Nutella produced in Lithgow (NSW) each year, and then sold in Australian supermarkets, are not complying with their ethical sourcing standards.
So, if you are now looking for an alternative to the Nutella in your cupboard, we have found some options for you. Each of them is made from bean to spread with ethically sourced cocoa and with hazelnuts (or other nuts) from outside Turkey.
Atypic Chocolate – we haven’t tried this (yet), but the quality of their chocolate makes us pretty confident it will be delicious! They also have a salted caramel spread and a Kalamansi (lime) caramel spread, if you want to try something different.
Cailo Sandalwood Chocolate Spread – This premium chocolate spread is made from three ingredients – single estate cocoa from the Solomon Islands, Sandalwood nuts from a farm in York, Western Australia, and unrefined Australian raw sugar.
Messina Chocolate Hazelnut Spread – Messina are famed for their gelato, but now they have their hands on a cocoa grinder their hazelnut spread, made with Italian hazelnuts and cocoa is a revelation. They also do a dulce de leche which is pretty special.
Other brands that sometimes have a chocolate hazelnut spread available include:
- Monsieur Truffe Chocolate Spread – made with organic hazelnuts from the Piedmonte region of Italy and blended with cacao beans from Ecuador, this is an indulgent spread for topping toast, ice-cream, pancakes (or straight from the jar!).
- Mork Hazelnut spread – This is the ultimate in convenience, with chocolate hazelnut spread presented in a tube! It means you can carry it anywhere, and squirt it on toast, in coffee or straight into your mouth. Not currently in stock.
- Gabrielle Chocolate – These guys do special editions of both a chocolate hazelnut spread and a chocolate pistachio spread – make sure you stock up on them if you see them!
If you have a favourite alternative, please get in touch and let us know – we’d love to hear about them!
