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Topic

Crafting Geographies: Digital Placemaking in the Craft Chocolate Industry

Department of Geography

Date & location

• Wednesday, August 14, 2024

• 1:00 P.M.

• David Turpin Building

• Room B215

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Sophia Carodenuto, Department of Geography, ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø (Supervisor)

• Mr. David Mincey, The Chocolate Project (Outside Member) 

External Examiner

• Dr. Roy Suddaby, Gustavson School of Business, UVic 

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. Charlotte Norris, School of Environmental Studies, UVic

   

Abstract

Chocolate presents a challenge to North American consumers interested in ethical consumption as its main ingredient, cacao, can only be grown in equatorial regions that are generally distant from the food’s major consumer markets. While many consumers are unaware of chocolate’s supply chain, the commodity chocolate industry has been increasingly criticized for perpetuating environmental degradation alongside social and economic inequities for smallholder cacao farmers whose labour is foundational to the product’s creation. Positioning itself in opposition to commodity chocolate, the craft chocolate sector can be understood as a ‘moral market’ that presents a supply chain which aims to reduce the injustices commonplace in the chocolate industry. As a part of their alternative sourcing practices, companies within the craft chocolate sector procure cacao from a diverse selection of ‘origins’, or the geographic regions where cacao beans are harvested from the Theobroma cacao tree. Many craft chocolate companies are dedicated to educating consumers about the geographic features, harvesting processes, and land stewardship of cacao origins, all of which impact chocolate flavour. Critically, the contemporary ubiquity of online shopping has shifted much of this education to digital spaces. Company websites consequently represent a significant opportunity for North American consumers to learn about craft chocolate and cacao origins. However, there is a dearth of research into the efficacy of this consumer education and how consumers conceptualize cacao origins based on representations provided by commerce-oriented websites. Using an iterative, mixed-method process, this thesis draws on a novel dataset of 257 direct-to-consumer (DTC) craft chocolate websites operating in North America and 6 focus groups with 34 North American craft chocolate consumers to explore how cacao origin geographies are understood by consumers in commerce-driven digital contexts. Findings suggest that despite the purchase orientation of most websites keeping value chain information relatively superficial, the content provided is important to consumer assessment of a craft chocolate company’s legitimacy. This thesis contributes to the nascent concept of digital placemaking by providing a case study on how cacao origins are constructed through user interactions with DTC craft chocolate websites. Additionally, this thesis benefits the craft chocolate community by engaging in collaborative, practice-based research design with The Chocolate Project: Canada’s largest craft chocolate retailer and educator. Specifically, this research provides insights into broader industry trends and consumer habits that are often inaccessible to the smaller companies who comprise most of this market sector. Additionally, this thesis critiques the effectiveness and impacts of current communication practices on DTC craft chocolate websites and suggests alternative directions that may further support equitable value chains and reduce barriers to entry into craft chocolate.