In this episode of In With the New, Avril Tomlin-Hood welcomes Emma Smith, Founder of Zimt Chocolates, to discuss ethical food production and how Zimt supports animals, people and the planet.
26 minutes | Apr. 12, 2023
Emma Smith is the Founder of Zimt Chocolates, handmade artisanal chocolates that are vegan and certified organic. Zimt was founded in 2011 with the aim of supporting those who are most vulnerable through sales of delicious chocolate and by spreading knowledge and opening hearts. Zimt is an ethical vegan company at heart and makes decisions consciously for environmental and human rights reasons. Zimt is committed to donating a portion of its sales to animal rescues and organizations doing life-changing work to improve the lives of people vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
The food production industry has evolved to prioritize scale, speed, and efficiency, often with little regard for impact on animals, people and the planet. And as consumers, we’ve become used to mass produced foods that are convenient, easily accessible, and low priced. This has made it more difficult and costly to produce plant-based alternatives that lack widespread adoption. But as plant-based foods are gaining popularity, big corporations are capitalizing on this trend but aren’t necessarily producing food ethically, as evidenced by the use of palm oil in some vegan foods. Is it possible to produce animal-free alternatives ethically, sustainably, and profitably without cutting corners?
Emma Smith says that having a clear defining mission has shaped every decision she’s made at Zimt, right from day one. She founded Zimt with the aim of generating revenue as ethically as possible, and donating a portion of sales to organizations that better the lives of animals and humans in need. Zimt goes above and beyond in every respect, made with 100% organic ingredients, using only coconut sugar and nectar sweeteners, treating employees equitably, and being an early adopter of biodegradable packaging. For Emma, there never really was a decision to be made about these factors – her commitment to conducting business ethically created a clear framework for Zimt, for everything from ingredient sourcing to packaging. By putting the wellbeing of people, animals and the planet at the core of Zimt, Emma demonstrates how a business can stay true to its mission while delivering delicious feel-good products for its customers.