I'm sure you've all seen the endangered species' around town, maybe you've even eaten one. No, I'm not talking about the animals themselves, but Endangered Species Chocolate (ESC) Bars. This company, formerly based in Oregon, has found it's way into our hearts (and mouths) here in Indianapolis. You may be wondering how chocolate made it's way into a coffee column. They both contain caffeine, does that count? They are also traded in a similar way with similar certifications. I'm not speaking of trading coffee beans for cacao beans like a grade-schooler would trade pudding for cookies. I'm talking about being ethically traded.

To ESC, ethically traded means they ensure farmers a fair wage and humane working conditions which they further guarantee by visiting the farming community in Nigeria that sources all of their cacao. They also supply the communities with necessities such as water pumps and learning materials.

In addition to the cacao being ethically traded, their 1.4oz bars, Chimp Mints, and Bug-Bites are Certified Fair Trade, Certified Organic, and shade-grown. All of their products are Kosher Certified with a huge selection that is Vegan Certified as well. Their business is housed in a "Green Building" and the bar wrappers are printed on recycled paper with a percentage of soy ink. ESC donates 10% of their net profits to help support their three, non-profit partners at Chimp Haven Inc., The National Wildlife Federation, and the Nigerian Co-Op Sponsorship.

Of all of the phenomenal products at ESC, one in particular has caught my eye. The 70% cacao content, Dark Chocolate with Espresso Beans Bar, affectionately known as the "Tiger Bar". This bar is Certified Kosher and Certified Vegan. The Nicaraguan coffee beans for this bar are sourced from Beans for Better Life, a company with similar values as ESC. Beans for Better Life buys their beans at Fair Trade prices and gives an additional 10% of gross profits back to the farming co-ops. With all of these amazing attributes, who wouldn't want to eat an endangered species?

In Broad Ripple alone, you can pick up Endangered Species Chocolate Company products at; Hubbard and Cravens, Sunflower Market, and the Monon Coffee Co.

You can find out more about ESC at www.chocolatebar.com.