The cocoa industry has long faced scrutiny over child labor. YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, is working to address the issue through his company, Feastables. The U.S.-based chocolate company is “on a mission to end child labor in the cocoa industry.”

MrBeast plans to reshape the industry from production to purchase by “empowering West African children to get off farms and into local schools.” Feastables is more than a chocolate brand; it is one of the few companies sourcing 100% of its cocoa from Fairtrade-certified cooperatives. It ensures farmers receive a living income while tackling the root causes of child labor.

The Cocoa Industry’s Child Labor Problem

The global chocolate industry, despite having faced criticism for its ties to child labor, has refused to cut its connection to farms with human rights violations. The Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) reports that more than 1.5 million children work on cocoa farms in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) defines child labor as: “Work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity and that is harmful to their physical and mental development.” The Food Empowerment Project reports that children as young as 5 years old work on these farms. They often operate heavy and dangerous machinery and sometimes work up to 14 hours daily.

Historical Roots of Exploitation

Cocoa farming has deep colonial roots. It was introduced to the region to meet European demand through cheap or free labor. This practice continues in different forms today. Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana now supply about 60% of the world’s cocoa.

Yet, because of the demand for cheap cocoa, most farmers earn less than $1 per day, below the extreme poverty line. This widespread poverty often forces families to rely on child labor for survival. MrBeast, speaking on a podcast with Steven Bartlett, said he wants to show other chocolate companies that “you can still make a profit while being ethically sourced.”

How MrBeast’s Chocolate Stands Out

Feastables’ collaboration with the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) aids on-the-ground work with farmers to address the inequities within the supply chain. ICI Executive Director, Matthias Lange, said it is “really positive to see a relatively young company operating in the cocoa sector take up their duty to ensure that they’re creating responsible supply chains that promote human rights.”

With these efforts, MrBeast’s chocolate company aims to eradicate child labor in West Africa. The company aims to achieve this in three key ways:

1. Fairtrade Cocoa Sourcing: Feastables purchases 100% of its cocoa on Fairtrade terms. This involves workers receiving a “Fairtrade Minimum Price” for their goods, protecting against market price drops. Farmers also receive a “premium,” an investment tool for their business, improving production and working conditions.
2. Living Income Reference Price (LIRP): Feastables pays farmers the LIRP or the market price, whichever is higher. Fairtrade defines the LIRP as “The price a typical farmer household with a viable farm size and a sustainable productivity level needs to earn a living income from their crop sales.” Maintaining this price is critical to tackling child labor, as Feastables explains: “Stopping child labor starts with addressing its root cause—poverty.”
3. Child Labor Prevention: Feastables only partners with farms using child labor monitoring and remediation systems (CLMRS). These systems identify children in labor or at risk and provide solutions to remove or protect them. According to the ICI, CLMRS can reduce child labor by a third when effectively implemented.

The system operates through four key functions: raising awareness, identifying children, offering prevention and remediation support and following up with affected children. Strict adherence to CLMRS is central to MrBeast’s plan to eliminate child labor in West Africa.

Conclusion

The chocolate sector still faces major challenges. Yet, MrBeast’s Chocolate model shows companies can practice ethical sourcing without sacrificing profits. Feastables has partnered with three major organizations to scale its impact: Fairtrade, ICI and Tony’s Open Chain.

Through these partnerships, MrBeast has committed the company to high standards of transparency, farmer support and child protection. This approach sets an example for the industry. It shows that consumer demand and corporate responsibility can work hand in hand to drive lasting change.

– Ashley Pfeifer

Ashley is based in London, UK and focuses on Business and Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash