Easter shopping guide

There’s a long-awaited touch of Spring in the air, and that means Easter isn’t far away. It’s a time of rebirth and new beginnings and – perhaps even more excitingly – a whole new range of chocolate to explore. Let’s take a look.

Eggs

Let’s start with the classic Easter egg, a perennial favourite for kids and adults alike. Montezuma’s, one of our favourite chocolate brands, offers a wide range. There’s the simple Organic Eco Egg with its minimal packaging, available in milk chocolate and dark chocolate varieties.

In the mood for something fancier? Try the Smooth Operator which comes with pack of creamy chocolate fudge, or the Bee’s Knees Honeycomb Egg which includes a sunflower growing kit – the perfect summer project to make the world a more bee-friendly place.

Artisan chocolatiers Chococo also offer a variety of Easter eggs in their signature geometric style – try dark chocolate, oat milk chocolate, or milk chocolate with honeycomb chunks.

Or if you want something a bit different, Cox & Co produce an Easter egg-shaped bar with the unique flavour combination of honey and bee pollen.

Dairy free

There’s no need for vegans or the lactose intolerant among us to feel left out of the Easter fun. Happi’s salted caramel and salted honeycomb eggs are made with oat milk and single origin Colombian cacao, so everyone can enjoy them. They also make egg-shaped oat milk chocolate bars in salted honeycomb and raspberry flavours.

Another good option is Moo Free, whose Easter eggs – from Rocky Road and Cookie Crunch to Bunnycomb and Moofreesas, their alternative to Maltesers – are all completely dairy-free and vegan-friendly, and delicious to boot.

Fairtrade

Of course, the ethical concerns around chocolate don’t begin and end with dairy. You probably already know the cocoa bean trade is rife with exploitative business practises, unfair pay, and in some cases slavery and child labour. It’s not always easy to know if the chocolate you buy might be propping up these practises. That’s why looking out for the Fairtrade logo is so important.

Tony’s Chocolonely are recognised as one of the most ethical chocolate companies in the world thanks to their unwavering dedication to using traceable cocoa beans and paying farmers a premium for their work. Their milk chocolate and caramel sea salt Easter eggs each come with five mini eggs in different flavours – if you like them, why not try a full bag?

The Fairtrade label also appears on The Meaningful Chocolate Company’s milk chocolate and dark chocolate eggs, and HiP’s Cookies No Cream and Salted Caramel eggs which have the added benefit of being vegan-friendly.

Beyond eggs

Who says Easter chocolate has to be egg-shaped? Why not try an Easter duck from Cocoba, a bunny from Belfine, or an assortment of animal shapes from Chococo?

Booja Booja produce a range or delicious chocolate truffles in flavours like honeycomb caramel or hazelnut crunch  – don’t be fooled by the egg-shaped box.

If you’ve had enough chocolate for one year, Cartwright & Butler’s buttery Easter biscuits could be just what you’re looking for. Their simnel loaf cake makes for a different kind of traditional seasonal treat, especially with its printed pattern of Easter eggs on the marzipan.

Chocolate or otherwise, hopefully you’ve seen something you like. It might seem like an indulgence, but Easter only comes once a year, and there’s no harm in letting loose a little. Happy Easter from all of us at Ethical Superstore.