Keith Bearden is the CEO of Alter Eco, a sustainable chocolate company. Under his direction, Alter Eco isn't just delivering delicious chocolate and granola; it's doing so with a mission that aligns perfectly with people who are looking for better options. Keith's initiatives in regenerative farming and sustainable packaging are reaching a broad audience. Alter Eco does more than purchase from growers, they provide the plants and encourage regenerative practices, which has made a huge difference in the quality of product AND the region, as we just discussed last week with greening cities, the biodiversity makes such a difference! The trees provide some shade from the intense sun, and the lower plants keep the ground more moist for the trees - it's a beautiful symbiotic relationship where everyone benefits.

Keith is very proud of the company, and talks openly about the work they do. I grabbed this from their annual Regen Report for 2024: "Regenerative agriculture has been and will continue to be a major focus for us. Our goal is to source 100% of our cacao beans and oats from farms practicing regenerative agriculture and we won't stop until we get there. We also keep an eye to ensuring everyone in our supply chain is treated fairly and receives a fair wage." He also said "We're improving the planet one chocolate bar at a time!" Don't mind if I do! Also, their wrappers are compostable - no waste!

You can find Alter Eco at most grocery and health food stores, or here: https://www.alterecofoods.com/ All their socials are there

Send me a message!

Support the show

Please follow Grounded In Maine podcast on Instagram here
YouTube channel link is here
You can DM me there or email me at amysgardenjam@gmail.com
Website for Amy's Garden Jam is https://amysgardenjam.com/ (podcast has its own tab on this site!)

Amy's email newsletter: https://amy-fagan.kit.com/499688fe6a

How Do I Get There From Here by Jane Bolduc - listen to more at https://www.janebolduc.com/

Podcast cover by Becca Kofron- follow here on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/cute_but_loud/ and check out her awesome art projects.

Grounded in Maine Podcast is hosted by Buzzsprout, the easiest podcast hosting platform with the best customer service! Learn more at https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1851361

You can support this podcast one time (or many) with the Buy me a coffee/Hot Chocolate link here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/groundedinmaine

Grounded in Maine Podcast is sponsored by ESG Review. Learn more about the good they're doing at https://esgreview.net/