The Belgian group Puratos launched the “Cacao-Trace” programme in 2012 and established the “Next Generation Cacao Foundation” in 2016 in an effort to make a significant contribution to the social, economic, and environmental development of cocoa farmers and their communities. Belcolade brand section executives are convinced that sustainability is a win-win relationship for everyone involved in the supply chain, from cocoa farmers to consumers. Sylvestre Awono, Group Cocoa Manager at Puratos, provides information.
sweets processing: Nearly all companies have recently taken up sustainability issues and report on their commitments. What makes Puratos different with its chocolate range under Belcolade?
Sylvestre Awono: In 2012, Puratos started a new cocoa sourcing programme entitled ”Cacao-Trace” in Vietnam. The name stands for premium chocolate as well as a transparent cocoa supply chain that provides significant added value for all involved – the cocoa farmers, chocolate manufacturers and end consumers. The core of the programme is a special bonus of ten cents per kilo of finished chocolate to the farmers.
sp: This doesn‘t seem like much at first glance.
Awono: This amount is definitely ”peanuts” for Europeans, but in Africa and Asia, this bonus is equivalent to one or two additional monthly salaries. As a result, the cocoa farmers receive a fair share of the profits from the sale of the excellent chocolate they helped to create. At Puratos, we are convinced that we must secure a sustainable future
for cocoa farmers. Otherwise, children and young people will leave the villages. Conversely, only by creating values and passing them on to the farming community can we guarantee a sustainable future for our industry. Ultimately, the end consumers also benefit from this programme.
sp: Consumers have become rather skeptical in view of the many announcements.
Awono: With us, chocolate lovers around the world can really make a positive impact on the living conditions of cocoa farmers by purchasing Cacao-Trace chocolate. The physical traceability of Cacao-Trace beans throughout the supply chain ensures that these bonuses ultimately arrive where they were earned.
sp: You referred to several examples in Ivory Coast during your lectures. Awono: Yes. For example, on the one hand, there is a female farmer named Beatrice. She and her children lived with her parents and grandparents under one roof for a long time. Now, thanks to Cacao-Trace, she was able to build her own modest house. And Karim, also a farmer in Ivory Coast, has purchased a small motorcycle. 50 years ago, cocoa farmers could afford a car here. Falling prices mean that today they have to travel long distances on foot or by
bicycle.
sp: However, the financial incentive is only one part of the programme. In which other ways is Puratos in-volved?
Awono: Finances are very important, since rising earnings incentivize farmers to consistently produce high-quality beans. This benefits us because Puratos has a passion for great-tasting chocolate. In order to achieve this, we are investing in training for cocoa farmers as well as in the construction and maintenance of post-harvest centers near the plantations. There, agricul-tural experts monitor and improve the fermentation process and also the drying procedure. Thanks to this control, Puratos can significantly increase the quality of cocoa beans. The result is a first-class chocolate with a consistently outstanding taste. By establishing uniform fermentation processes and continuous monitoring, Cacao-Trace is the first sustainable cocoa programme to certify the quality of the post-harvest process. Youri Dumont, Business Unit Director of Chocolate at Puratos, is also convinced that we can only guarantee the highest quality of chocolate if we have the highest quality of cocoa beans.
sp: Seven years have passed in the meantime. Where does the company stand with Cacao-Trace today?
Awono: Following the introduction of Cacao-Trace in Vietnam, sucessful projects have followed in Ivory Coast and on the Philippines. In June 2018, we launched the next Sustainable Procurement Programme for cocoa in Papua New Guinea. And over the course of 2019, Mexico was added as a fifth region.
