> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thechocolatelife.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Updated: the wicked bad & wicked good lists - URL: https://thechocolatelife.com/wicked-bad-wicked-good-lists/ - Published: 2022-03-12T15:50:52.000Z - Updated: 2025-06-17T16:54:35.000Z - Description: New and Improved! Renamed and updated! Now easier to use than ever to follow. - Author: Clay Gordon - Tags: Op Ed, TCL Originals, #Footnote My ultimate goal by presenting this information in this way is to encourage skeptical, critical, thinking, not blind acceptance. I want readers to become vigilantly critical and to view claims that appear on product labels and marketing skeptically *until otherwise demonstrated to be true*. [the blacklistThere are many attempts to generate and maintain “whitelists” of ethical chocolate companies. This is not one of them.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/favicon.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2022/01/luca-nicoletti-unsplash_Blacklist_Featured1920x.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/the-blacklist/) The guide to the selection criteria for ***The Wicked BadList** can be found in this post. In pursuit of this goal I carefully *and deliberately* chose to use loaded language in a way I thought would call attention to the irony of my word choices. However, some listeners and readers were not open to my ironic usage and suggested I could make the points I wanted to make using less polarizing language. > So I have. I chose **wicked** because of the fact common usage has both negative – wicked bad – *and* positive – wicked good – connotations. That made me smile. --- ### **caveats & disclaimers** ➡️ These lists represent my **personal opinion* of the named companies and individuals based on my assessment of the criteria I set out in the above-referenced post where those criteria are set forth. ➡️ If you believe there is an error of attribution or misattribution, please communicate about it ***in the comments section** *, with reasons for why you think there is an error,* so there is a **public* record of the exchange. ➡️ All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ## Wicked Bad 🗓️ Updates:****April 25th, 2022 –** added in the “unrequited” companies in section 2; those companies getting an orange or red bunny in the Be Slavery Free 2022 Chocolate Scorecard.****April 9th, 2022 –** added in section 8; based on work done by the Yale School of Management. ➡️ There is ***no** argument from silence to be inferred from an entity being absent from mention on any of the following lists. | 1 :: Seen in Court – see tables following for lists of subsidiaries and brands | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Barry Callebaut | | Cargill, Incorporated | | Hershey Company, The | | Mars, Inc | | Mondelēz International | | Nestlé SA | | Olam International | | Rainforest Alliance | | 2 :: Booted and Unrequited (Updated April 25th) | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Tony’s Chocolonely; removed in 2021 from SlaveFreeChocolate.org’s list | | Barry Callebaut, Cargill, Cémoi, Fuji Oil (Blommer’s), Orkla, Pladis, Puratos, Ritter Sport, Touton, Unilever, Valrhona / All received an orange bunny in the 2022 Be Slavery Free Chocolate Scorecard | | Daito Cacao, Glico (TCHO), Godiva, Itochu, Kellog’s, Meiji, Morinaga, Stollwerck / All received a **dread red** bunny in the 2022 Be Slavery Free Chocolate Scorecard | | Sources: [Be Slavery Free Scorecard](https://www.beslaveryfree.com/chocolate?ref=thechocolatelife.com) | | 3 :: “Belgium’s ‘Finest’” | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Belcolade (Belgium, subsidiary of Puratos Group) | | Chocolove (USA) – uses Barry Callebaut extensively | | Galler (Belgium) | | Godiva (Turkey, subsidiary of Yildiz Holdings) | | Guylian (Belgium) | | Jacques Torres (USA) – uses Belcolade extensively | | Leonidas (Belgium) | | Marcolini (Belgium) | | Mary (Belgium) | | Neuhaus (Belgium) | | *Resources*: TL;DR see [CHOPRABISCO](http://www.choprabisco.be/engels/choprabisco%5Fframeset.htm?ref=thechocolatelife.com) for many other entries | | 4 :: Incomplete and/or Disingenuous Supply Chain Disclosures and Marketing Language | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Every entity that takes advantage of mass balance | | 1-800-Flowers.com Inc. | | Blue Stripes Cacao (US); uses Callebaut§, Hershey is an investor | | Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli | | Tony’s Chocolonely – post-hoc rationalization of its relationship with Barry Callebaut; though they use RA cocoa, they eschew mass balance | | Mid Day Squares – uses Mass Balance FT cocoa; “Made with Real ...;” “First...” | | **§** At the time of first publication, the BSC retail location on 13th St in NYC was no longer affiliated with Blue Stripes Cacao and has different sourcing practices. (Updated 17/06/25) | | 5 :: Subsidiaries / Brands | | --------------------------------------------------------- | | See the Subsidiaries & Brands by Company tables following | | 6 :: NGOs / Initiatives | | -------------------------------------- | | Fairtrade Licensing Organization (FLO) | | Fair Trade USA | | Rainforest Alliance / UTZ | | 7 :: Gaslighters / Apologists | | -------------------------------------- | | Barry Callebaut | | Cargill, Incorporated | | Fairtrade Licensing Organization (FLO) | | Fair Trade USA | | Hershey Company, The | | Mars, Inc | | Mondelēz International | | Nestlé SA | | Olam International | | Rainforest Alliance / UTZ | | Unilever | | 8 :: Business as Usual-ish, Much? in Russia (updated April 9, 2022) | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | AB InBev – major investor is also majority owner of Tony’s Chocolonely | | Barry Callebaut | | Cargill | | Ferrero S.p.a | | General Mills | | Groupe Savencia – see Subsidiaries and Brands table | | Mondelēz – parent company of Cadbury & Green & Blacks, among many others | | Nestlé SA – see subsidiaries and brands table below | | Olam Group | | *Resources*: [Yale School of Management](https://som.yale.edu/story/2022/over-600-companies-have-withdrawn-russia-some-remain?ref=thechocolatelife.com) | | Companies divesting themselves of/suspending business operations in Russia include: Fazer, Grainpro, Haribo, Krispy Kreme, Lindt & Sprüngli, Starbucks – visit the Yale SOM website for the up to date lists | --- ### **Subsidiaries and Brands** ⚖️ The following (alphabetically ordered) lists are incomplete and in flux – keeping up with mergers, acquisitions, sales, and new formations in an industry that numbers many thousands of companies globally is no small task. | 1-800-Flowers.com Inc. | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1-800-Baskets.com, Alice’s Table, Bloom.net, Cheryl’s Cookies, Design Pac, Fruit Bouquets, Harry & David, Moose Munch, The Popcorn Factory, Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker (2024), Shari’s Berries, Simply Chocolate, Stock Yards Wolferman’s Bakery, Vital Choice | | *Source*: [1-800-Flowers.com ](https://www.1800flowersinc.com/our-brands?ref=thechocolatelife.com) | | Barry Callebaut | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | American Almond, Bensdorp, Cabosse Naturals (Wholefruit, Evocao), Cacao Barry, Callebaut, Caprimo, Carma, Chocovic, Gertrude Hawk, IBC Belgium, La Morella, Le Royale, Mona Lisa, Satro, SICAO, Stewart & Arnold (UK), Van Houten, Van Leer | | *Sources*: [Barry Callebaut](https://www.barry-callebaut.com/en-US/group/brands?ref=thechocolatelife.com) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry%5FCallebaut?ref=thechocolatelife.com) | | Cargill, Incorporated | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Ambrosia, Diamond Salt, Genuine, Gerkens, Merckens, Peter’s, Truvia, Wilbur, Veliche | | The above brands are associated with Cargill’s global cocoa and chocolate operations. Cargill owns many other brands in other food sectors (including plant-based meat analogs, supplements, aninmal nutrition, pharma, meat and poultry, and more). Maintaining a comprehensive list is beyond the scope of this endeavor. | | **My obervation is that it would be *extremely* difficult to live a 100% Cargill-free life.** | | *Source*: [Cargill](https://www.cargill.com/products?ref=thechocolatelife.com), [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargill?ref=thechocolatelife.com), [Investopedia](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/company-insights/090216/top-5-companies-owned-cargill.asp?ref=thechocolatelife.com) | | Groupe Savencia / Savencia Group | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Gourmet: Adamance, Chocolatree, Norohy, República del Cacao, Sosa, Valrhona/La Maison du Chocolat, Weiss | | Cheese & Dairy: AFP, Au Bouchon, Armor, Bresse Bleu, Corman, Dorothy’s, Elle & Vire, Epoisses Berthaut, Esquirrou, Etorki, Fauquet, Holland Master, Lescure, Rogue Creamery, Roquefort Papillon, Savencia Fromage & Dairy Argentina | | *Source*: [Groupe Savencia Website](https://www.savencia.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) | | Hershey Company, The | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 5th Avenue, Almond Joy, BarkThins, Brookside, Cadbury (US/Caramello, Creme Egg, Dairy Milk, Fruit & Nut, Roast Almond, Royal Dark), Dagoba®, Extra Dark®, Goodbar, Heath, Ice Breakers, Jolly Rancher, Kisses, KitKat, Lily’s, Milk Duds, Mr Goodbar, Mounds, One, Paqui, PayDay, Pirate’s Booty, Reese’s, Rolo (US/Nestlé), Skinny Pop, Skor, Symphony, Twizzlers, Whathamcallit, Whoppers, York | | *Sources*: [The Hershey Company](https://www.thehersheycompany.com/en%5Fus/home/brands.html?ref=thechocolatelife.com) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List%5Fof%5Fproducts%5Fmanufactured%5Fby%5FThe%5FHershey%5FCompany?ref=thechocolatelife.com) | | Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Ghirardelli, Lindor, Lindt, Russell Stover, Whitman’s (manufactured by Russel Stover) | | *Source*: [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindt?ref=thechocolatelife.com) | | Mars, Inc. / The Wrigley Company | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Altoids, Big Red, Bounty, Celebrations, Cocovia, Dove, Doublemint, Eclipse, Ethel M, 3 Musketeers, Galaxy, Hubba Hubba, Juicy Fruit, Live Savers, M & Ms, Maltesers, Marathon, Mars, Milky Way, Skittles, Snickers, Starburst, Twix, Wrigley’s | | Mars owns many other brands in other food sectors (including pet food and veterinary health). Maintaining a comprehensive list is beyond the scope of this endeavor. My obervation is that it would be *extremely* difficult to go 100% Mars-free. | | *Sources*: [Mars](https://www.mars.com/made-by-mars?ref=thechocolatelife.com), [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars,%5FIncorporated?ref=thechocolatelife.com) | | Mondelēz International | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Belvita, Cadbury (some products manufactured in USA under license by The Hershey Company), Chiclets, Chips Aboy, Côte d’Or, Dentyne, Jacobs Douwe Egberts, Freia, Fry’s, Green & Black’s, Halls, HU Kitchen, Kraft, LU, Marabou, Milka, Oreo, Peek Freens, Ritz, Sour Patch Kids, Tate’s Bake Shop, Toblerone, Triscuit | | *Source*: [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondelez%5FInternational?ref=thechocolatelife.com) | | Nestlé SA | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Food: Abuelita, Acqua Panna, Aero, After Eight, Blue Bottle Coffee, Buitoni, Cailler, California Pizza Kitchen, Carlos V, Carnation, DiGiorno Pizza, Frigo, Garota, Haagen Dazs, Hot Pockets, Kit Kat (outside USA, manufactured in USA by Hersey), Lean Cuisine, Les Recettes De L’Atelier, Milkybar, Milo, Nescafé, Nespresso, Nesquick, Nestea, Orion, Ovaltine, Perrier, Quality Street, Rowntrees, San Pellegrino, Smarties, Stouffer’s, Taster’s Choice, Starbucks (license), Terrafertil (Essential Living Foods), Toll House, Tombstone Pizza, Vittel | | Other product categories: Healthcare/Nutrition; Instant Foods; Performance Nutrition; Petcare; Seasonings; Yogurt | | Shareholder in: L’Oreal (Garnier, Maybelline, Lancôme, Urban Decay) | | Sources include: [Nestlé Global](https://www.nestle.com/brands?ref=thechocolatelife.com), [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List%5Fof%5FNestl%C3%A9%5Fbrands?ref=thechocolatelife.com) | | Puratos Group | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Belcolade, Carat, Chocolanté, Grand Place, Patisfrance | | *Source:* [Puratos Group](https://www.puratos.com/product-categories/chocolate?ref=thechocolatelife.com) | | Unilever | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Food: Ben & Jerry’s, Best Foods, Bovril, Breyers, Colman’s, Fudgsicle, Heartbrand/Wall’s, Hellmann’s, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Magnum, Marmite, Popsicle, Talenti | | Personal Care: Axe/Lynx, Dove, Lifebouy, Omo/Persil, Rexona/Degree, Sunsilk | | *Source:* [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List%5Fof%5FUnilever%5Fbrands?ref=thechocolatelife.com) | ## Wicked Good ### The Wicked Good list is under construction I developed a set of criteria for making it on the wicked bad list, those criteria are in the following post: [the blacklistThere are many attempts to generate and maintain “whitelists” of ethical chocolate companies. This is not one of them.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/favicon.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2022/01/luca-nicoletti-unsplash_Blacklist_Featured1920x.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/the-blacklist/) I *don’t* think it’s sufficient to assume any entity not on the wicked bad list should automagically be on the wicked good list. I haven’t finished my criteria for inclusion on the wicked good list, but when I do, I will publish them and start adding to this list. > If you have some ideas for criteria and companies that meet those criteria, please share them in the comments. ## Under the **Gaslight* ... ### Does it Walk or Talk Like a Duck? **Then maybe it’s a duck.* This category has been created to accommodate people and companies that do not fit the wicked bad or wicked good criteria but whose statements and actions, in my opinion, need to be examined critically and viewed skeptically absent that critical examination. | Walks and/or Talks Like an Apologist | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Antonie Fountain, VOICE Network | | Dr. Kristy Leissle – does not transparently disclose relationships with Nestlé and the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) | | Nico Roozen / Solidaridad Network | --- ### **Made it this far?** ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2022/02/tim-mossholder-bo3SHP58C3g-unsplashSupport1280x720.webp) #### How to Support Work on the Wicked Lists Consider becoming a Premium Member of TheChocolateLife at one of the **Team TCL Leader*, **Team TCL Champion,* or **Team TCL Guru* levels. Click on a ****Join** link to start the process. Original image by [Tim Mossholder](https://unsplash.com/@timmossholder?utm%5Fsource=unsplash&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcontent=creditCopyText) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/s/photos/support?utm%5Fsource=unsplash&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcontent=creditCopyText) --- 💡 ***Have thoughts to share or questions to ask?**Leave them in the comments.