Dagoba Chocolate
Encyclopedia
Dagoba Organic Chocolate is an organic
brand of high-quality chocolate
, founded in 2001 by Frederick Schilling. It has been owned by The Hershey Company
since 2006. Its founders are no longer involved but Hershey has maintained the brand's factory in Ashland, Oregon
. The name Dagoba is a Sinhalese corruption of dhatu-garbha, a Sanskrit
word for stupa
. (The similarly named fictional Dagobah
in the Star Wars
universe was derived from the same inspiration.) The brand was founded with a commitment to socially responsible business. Like coffee
, the production of chocolate retains vestiges of colonial relationships
, so issues of social equity
and "fair trade
" arise.
In 2003 CNN/Money
called them one of the world's best chocolates.
content.
Dagoba Chocolate also produces a line of Drinking Chocolates:
Dagoba Chocolate also produces
. Hershey's CEO Richard H. Lenny stated in a press release "Organic chocolate products are experiencing dramatic growth as consumers continue to trade up for indulgent, high-quality products."
Organic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
brand of high-quality chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
, founded in 2001 by Frederick Schilling. It has been owned by The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company, known until April 2005 as the Hershey Foods Corporation and commonly called Hershey's, is the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America. Its headquarters are in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which is also home to Hershey's Chocolate World. It was founded by Milton S...
since 2006. Its founders are no longer involved but Hershey has maintained the brand's factory in Ashland, Oregon
Ashland, Oregon
Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California border, and located in the south end of the Rogue Valley. It was named after Ashland County, Ohio, point of origin of Abel Helman and other founders, and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky, where other...
. The name Dagoba is a Sinhalese corruption of dhatu-garbha, a Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
word for stupa
Stupa
A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship....
. (The similarly named fictional Dagobah
Dagobah
Dagobah is a fictional planet in the Star Wars films, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. It also makes an appearance in a deleted scene from Revenge of the Sith....
in the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
universe was derived from the same inspiration.) The brand was founded with a commitment to socially responsible business. Like coffee
Economics of coffee
Coffee is an important commodity and a popular beverage. Over 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed in the world every day. Over 90% of coffee production takes place in developing countries, while consumption happens mainly in the industrialized economies. Worldwide, 25 million small producers...
, the production of chocolate retains vestiges of colonial relationships
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
, so issues of social equity
Social equity
There are multiple definitions of social equity as it is a new term; each industry has seemed to take on a different connotation. The following provides for examples of each connotation.-Sustainable Development:...
and "fair trade
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
" arise.
In 2003 CNN/Money
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
called them one of the world's best chocolates.
Products
Dagoba currently sells specialty chocolate bars, baking chocolate, cacao powder, chocodrops, drinking chocolate, and syrup.Chocolate bars
Dagoba's specialty is their line of two-ounce flavor-infused bars created by what the company calls "The Art of Chocolate Alchemy TM". Here is a list of the current product line of Dagoba chocolate bars. Percentages indicate the cacaoCocoa solids
Cocoa solids are the low-fat component of chocolate. When sold as an end product, it may also be called cocoa powder, cocoa, and cacao....
content.
- Eclipse 87% Pure extra Bittersweet
- New Moon 74% Bittersweet
- Beaucoup Berries 74%: Sun dried cherries and cranberries with vanilla.
- Superfruit 74%: Contains açaí, goji berries, and currantsRibesRibes is a genus of about 150 species of flowering plants native throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is usually treated as the only genus in the family Grossulariaceae. Seven subgenera are recognized....
. All of these fruits contain large amounts of antioxidants. - Xocolatl 74%: Spicy chocolate containing chilies, cacao nibs, macaMACAMACA or maca can mean:* Maca * Mongol-American Cultural Association* Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance* Military Aid to the Civil Authorities* Member Australian Counselling Association...
, nutmeg, and vanilla. - Conacado 73%: Single origin from Dominican Republic
- Lemon-Ginger 68%: Contains crystallized ginger and lemon.
- Dark 59% Semisweet
- Roseberry 59%: Dried raspberries and rosehips.
- Lavender Blueberry 59%: Contains blueberries and flavored with lavender oil
- Mint 59%: Flavored with oil from peppermint and rosemaryRosemaryRosemary, , is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs, and is one of two species in the genus Rosmarinus...
. - Milk 37%
- Chai 37%: Contains chai spices and crystallized gingerGingerGinger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
. - Hazelnut 37%: Has crunchy toasted hazelnuts and toasted rice crisps.
Dagoba Chocolate also produces a line of Drinking Chocolates:
- Unsweetened: Non-dutched cacao powder with bits of 100% dark chocolate
- Authentic: Non-dutched cacao powder with bits of 100% dark chocolate, and cane sugar
- Chai: Bits of ginger and chai spices in non-dutched cacao and bits of 100% dark chocolate, lightly sweetened
- Xocolatl: Non-dutched cacao powder, 100% chocolate bits, sugar, chiles & cinnamon
Dagoba Chocolate also produces
- Cacao powder, non-dutched
- ChocoDrops, 73% Single Origin from Dominican Republic
- Chocolate Drops, 74% bittersweet
- Chocolate Syrup
- Baking Bars in 59% and 100%
- Chocolate Syrup
Hershey's
In October 2006, Dagoba was acquired by The Hershey CompanyThe Hershey Company
The Hershey Company, known until April 2005 as the Hershey Foods Corporation and commonly called Hershey's, is the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America. Its headquarters are in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which is also home to Hershey's Chocolate World. It was founded by Milton S...
. Hershey's CEO Richard H. Lenny stated in a press release "Organic chocolate products are experiencing dramatic growth as consumers continue to trade up for indulgent, high-quality products."