Alter Eco has long been known among consumers for its commitment to organic and Fair Trade products. Now, as a top ten finalist in Green America’s People & Planet Award for Green Businesses, the company is being recognized for its efforts.

For more than 9 years, Alter Eco has offered sustainable, tasty, exotic and healthy products to customers in the United States and Canada, that simultaneously benefit farming communities in the Global South.

“Following a Fair Trade business model is definitely not the cheapest option, but it is the only one for Alter Eco,” says Kelsey Bair, community manager, Alter Eco. “We believe paying farmers fair prices for their products, planting trees to offset the company’s annual carbon emissions and supporting organic farming practices should be the norm, not the exception.”

Alter Eco’s line of products includes chocolate, quinoa, rice and even sugar. Their single-origin chocolate bars come in a variety of enticing flavors, including dark twist, dark coconut toffee and dark quinoa – made from the company’s own Fair Trade quinoa. Shade-grown cacao directly sourced from Peru and Ecuador are mixed for more than 30 hours in Switzerland to produce smooth and creamy dark chocolate bars.

“Green America is a large organization and it is very encouraging that they have an award dedicated solely to small sustainable food businesses,” relays Bair. “The award would mean a lot to Alter Eco as we work toward sustainability goals every day, and this award would really give us a great boost of recognition.”

After making it through a rigorous review by a team of judges, the ten finalists will be decided by a public vote. Voting remains open until May 31 (you can cast your vote here). The winner of the Award for Green Businesses will receive a $5,000 prize.

Continues Bair, “We choose to lead by example and hopefully more and more companies in America will become ‘green’ businesses and share the commitment to sustainable practices.”

Founded in 1982, Green America is a national nonprofit organization focused on harnessing economic power—through the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.