The World Took Notice: Alter Eco's 2025 Year in Press

2025 By The Numbers

📰 200+ media placements across digital, print, and broadcast
👀 3+ billion combined reader reach
🏆 #1 ranking from The Good Trade for conscious consumers
📺 88+ million CBS News viewers reached
🌱 3 PETA vegan chocolate guide features
⭐ #13 VegNews ranking out of 30 best vegan chocolate bars

When we say we're changing the chocolate industry one bar at a time, we're not just being poetic. We mean it. And in 2025, some of the most respected voices in food, health, sustainability, and lifestyle media took notice.

From Yahoo! Life's massive readership to PETA's definitive vegan chocolate guide to Food & Wine's expert rankings, Alter Eco showed up again and again as the chocolate brand doing things differently and doing them deliciously.

Here's where we showed up in 2025, and why it matters.

Major Food Publications: When Taste Meets Standards

Food & Wine Featured Us Twice

When one of America's most trusted food publications puts you on their list, you know you're doing something right. Food & Wine featured us twice in 2025, in January and again in July, in their comprehensive guide to the best dark chocolate bars you can buy. Their rigorous testing process and editorial standards make this recognition particularly meaningful for a brand committed to quality over shortcuts.

Yahoo! Life Reached 750 Million Readers

With a combined reach of over 750 million readers across multiple features throughout the year, Yahoo! Life spotlighted our chocolate in articles about the healthiest dark chocolate options. In August and November, they specifically called out our commitment to organic ingredients and sustainable practices, introducing our mission to an enormous audience of health-conscious consumers.

Real Simple Called Us "Feel-Good Food"

In November, Real Simple included our dark chocolate in their mood-boosting foods roundup, backed by actual research showing that dark chocolate consumption correlates with lower odds of depressive symptoms. They emphasized our organic credentials and high cacao content, exactly what sets our Classic Blackout bar apart.

The Kitchn Listed Us Among Essential Groceries

The Kitchn's October feature listing us among essential groceries was the kind of everyday endorsement that shows we're becoming a staple for conscious consumers, not just a special occasion splurge.

Health & Wellness: When Nutrition Experts Approve

Prevention Magazine (7+ Million Readers)

Prevention's print feature in February brought our story to millions of readers actively seeking healthier food choices. Being featured in a publication dedicated to wellness and preventive health aligned perfectly with our mission.

CBS News Spotlighted Us Multiple Times

From breakfast month celebrations in September to Halloween treat ideas, CBS News turned to Alter Eco throughout 2025 as a trusted source for better-for-you indulgences. Their features reached over 88 million viewers across their network.

EatingWell's Expert Endorsement

In December, EatingWell featured us in their analysis of chocolate and aging. When nutrition experts at a publication known for rigorous nutritional standards recommend your chocolate, it validates years of sourcing the highest-quality ingredients.

MSN's Massive Reach

Throughout 2025, MSN featured us in multiple health and nutrition articles with their combined reach of over 160 million readers, including features on healthiest dark chocolate and chocolate for seniors.

Vegan & Plant-Based Community: Proving Decadent Doesn't Need Dairy

PETA Featured Us Three Times

PETA doesn't mess around when it comes to vegan credentials. They featured us in their comprehensive vegan chocolate guide in January, April, and August, calling us out as a go-to brand for plant-based chocolate lovers. Their January feature alone reached over 1 million readers.

VegNews Ranked Us #13 Out of 30 Best Vegan Chocolate Bars

VegNews, the world's leading plant-based lifestyle magazine with nearly 900,000 Instagram followers, ranked us among the best vegan chocolate bars you can find at most supermarkets in December. They specifically recommended our Orange Blackout, Mint Blackout, Raspberry Blackout, and Quinoa Crunch bars.

Being featured alongside major brands like Lindt, Ghirardelli, and Trader Joe's showed that conscious consumers don't have to compromise on accessibility or taste.

VegNews also included us in their October dairy-free candy bars feature and their vegan candy guide in September.

VegOut Magazine and Forks Over Knives

VegOut Magazine featured us in May in their best vegan chocolate for s'mores roundup, while Forks Over Knives highlighted us in February as the best vegan chocolate for every occasion, specifically featuring our Total Blackout bar. These plant-based powerhouses recognized that great chocolate doesn't need dairy to be decadent.

Switch4Good's Dairy-Free Guide

Switch4Good featured us in October in their comprehensive guide to dairy-free chocolate, further cementing our reputation in the plant-based community.

Sustainability Champions: Ranked #1 for Conscious Consumers

The Good Trade's Top Pick

This was major validation. The Good Trade's carefully curated list of 11 fair trade chocolate companies ranked Alter Eco as their #1 pick for conscious consumers in November. They specifically highlighted us as "Best For: Truffle lovers, eco-friendly practices."

They praised how our truffles are crafted with coconut oil instead of palm kernel oil, calling them "little bundles of yummy decadent joy" that are good for both people and planet. They recognized our commitment to planting thousands of trees in our supply chains and the strength of our certifications.

Being ranked first among ethical chocolate brands reinforces that conscious capitalism works.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Featured Our Transformation

In September, the Chamber profiled our journey in their "Good Company" series under the headline "Sustainable Chocolatier Alter Eco Fuels Growth Amid the 'Treat Economy.'" They highlighted CEO Keith Bearden's steadfast mission and how we're benefiting from snackification trends while staying true to our "delicious first" philosophy.

When the business community recognizes your model as viable and valuable, it shows that sustainable practices aren't just good ethics. They're good business.

Green America & Sustainable Jungle

Green America featured us multiple times throughout 2025, including their Halloween guide and broader sustainability blog coverage, consistently positioning us as a leader in the fair trade chocolate space. Sustainable Jungle featured us in their guides for sustainable candy, eco-friendly gifts, and sustainable stocking stuffers.

Trusted Food Critics: When Taste Experts Approve

Tasting Table Ranked Us Multiple Times

Tasting Table's chocolate experts included us in their February ranking of dark chocolate brands and their March feature on highest-percent dark chocolate. When food critics who taste chocolate professionally recommend you, it validates our "delicious first" philosophy.

Chowhound's Best Gluten-Free Candy Bars

With over 4.5 million readers, Chowhound's July feature on the best gluten-free candy bars introduced our chocolate to consumers who need allergen-friendly options without compromising on taste.

Cozymeal's Expert Picks

Cozymeal featured us multiple times in their guides to the healthiest dark chocolate and healthiest candy, reaching their audience of food enthusiasts.

Gift Guides: Introducing Conscious Chocolate to New Audiences

Our products landed on dozens of gift guides throughout 2025:

• Today's Parent featured us in their "Holiday Gifts That Give Back" guide in November, perfect positioning for parents teaching their kids about conscious consumption
• New York Lifestyles Magazine (1.3 million readers) included us in their Father's Day roundup
• SoCal City Kids recommended us multiple times for back-to-school treats, Halloween, and holiday gifting
• Consumer Queen included us in their Father's Day, back-to-school, and first-day-of-school gift guides
• The Filtery featured us in their best organic chocolate guide in October
• Sustainably Chic highlighted us in their fair trade chocolate brands roundup

Product Launches That Made Headlines

The Truffle Advent Calendar Created Buzz

When we launched our Organic Truffles Advent Calendar in November, featuring 24 organic dark chocolate truffles in four fan-favorite flavors (Sea Salt, Salted Caramel, Classic Dark, and Silk Velvet), all wrapped in plant-based compostable wrappers inside a 100% recyclable paper box, media outlets took notice.

Fox 5 KUSI News, ABC 8 News, and WBOY covered the launch, while Trend Hunter featured it as an innovative seasonal product. Candy Industry shared it across their platforms and The Mommy Factor dedicated an entire blog post to it.

Our Granola Launch at Whole Foods

In October, our three new granola flavors launched at Whole Foods, earning coverage from multiple regional news outlets including ABC8 News, Fox 4, WBOY, and WANE-TV.

Industry Recognition & Thought Leadership

Nosh Best of 2025 Nominee

We were honored to be nominated for the Nosh Best of 2025 Awards, a program recognizing companies "driving meaningful impact through innovation, quality, thoughtful sourcing, and category leadership."

Food Industry Deep Dives

Leading food industry publications covered our business strategy and sustainability initiatives:

• Nosh covered our cost-cutting and emissions reductions
• Confectionery News and Food Navigator USA featured our sustainability secrets on their Soup to Nuts podcast
• Bakery & Snacks explored consumer attitudes toward eco-friendly snacks
• New Hope Network covered industry challenges we're navigating

Podcast Features

Our CEO, Keith Bearden, shared our story on multiple podcasts throughout 2025:

• Earth911 Podcast on regenerative agriculture chocolate farming
• Becoming Radical on scaling purpose-driven business
• ReGen Brands on navigating industry challenges
• Sustainability Unplugged on climate-positive chocolate

The Influencer & Blogger Community

Beyond traditional media, dozens of bloggers, influencers, and content creators shared authentic love for Alter Eco throughout 2025:

• Mom Does Reviews (236K+ reach) called us "Clean, Green, and Perfectly Chocolatey"
• Its Free At Last featured us multiple times from granola to Halloween treats to holiday gifts
• Emily Reviews recommended us twice, including in her comprehensive holiday gift guide
• Two Classy Chics celebrated National S'mores Day with our chocolate
• The Fashionable Housewife shared the secret to better s'mores
• Gluten Free Foodee included us in their ultimate gluten-free chocolate list multiple times

These authentic endorsements often resonate more deeply than traditional advertising because they come from trusted voices in their communities.

American Airlines Featured Us

In May, American Airlines announced our chocolate as part of their elevated culinary experience at their Philadelphia flagship lounge, introducing our brand to premium travelers nationwide.

What This Recognition Really Means

Every feature, every ranking, every gift guide inclusion validates that our approach works:

When Food & Wine and Yahoo! Life feature you alongside legacy chocolate brands, it shows consumers don't have to choose between quality and values.

When PETA and VegNews consistently recommend you, it proves that plant-based can be indulgent.

When The Good Trade ranks you #1 and the U.S. Chamber profiles your transformation, it demonstrates that sustainable business isn't just possible. It's profitable and scalable.

But here's what matters most: each piece of coverage introduced Alter Eco to new conscious consumers who are now part of our mission. Every reader who discovered us through Prevention Magazine, Real Simple, or The Kitchn is someone who might choose our chocolate over conventional options, supporting fair trade farmers and regenerative agriculture with their purchase.

The Work Continues in 2026

Media recognition is wonderful, but it's not why we do this work. We're here to prove that chocolate can restore ecosystems, improve livelihoods, and reduce waste while tasting absolutely delicious. The press coverage simply amplifies that message to people who care about the same things we do.

As we head into 2026, we're more committed than ever to:

Innovation – Developing new products that push boundaries while staying true to our values
Transparency – Sharing our progress, challenges, and learnings openly
Impact – Expanding regenerative agriculture partnerships and reducing environmental footprint
Quality – Never compromising on the "delicious first" principle that guides everything we make

Thank You for Being Part of This Story

Every time you choose Alter Eco, you're supporting the work that generated this recognition. You're voting for a food system that values people and planet. You're proving there's demand for chocolate made the right way.

So when you see us featured in your favorite publication or recommended by a trusted influencer, know that you made that possible. This recognition belongs to our entire community: the farmers growing our cacao regeneratively, the team innovating relentlessly, and you, the conscious consumers who choose to spend a little more for chocolate that aligns with your values.

Here's to another year of delicious impact in 2026.

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