Barry Callebaut sees surge in demand for certified chocolate and cocoa

  • February 2, 2010
  • Isobel Drake

The world’s largest maker of bulk chocolate, Barry Callebaut, has confirmed a marked increase in the demand for certified cocoa and chocolate products as a number of the world’s largest confectionery players begin showing support for Fairtrade and other certification. Strong consumer demand for ‘responsibly produced chocolate’ lies at the basis of the growth, the Swiss-based group added.

Barry Callebaut said they welcomed this evolution and expects the sale of certified products will continue to grow significantly in 2010.

chocolate swirl - Cadbury

“While demand for organic certified chocolate has been growing steadily over the past ten years, we have seen a jump of more than 50% in the demand for Fairtrade certified products in 2009 and an increase of 12% in certified products volume overall,” Hans Vriens, Chief Innovation Officer at Barry Callebaut reported. “These growth rates are significantly ahead of chocolate market growth rates.

“We are now complementing our offering with UTZ certified and Rainforest Alliance Certified products. This means that we will have products available that meet the standards of some or more of the most widely recognised sustainability labels in the world.”

Juergen Steinemann, CEO at Barry Callebaut, added that the fragile cocoa crop is primarily cultivated “by small farm holders and their families in some of the poorest areas of the world” – ensuring a need for a greater commitment from organisations to the sustainability of cocoa farming.

“In order to meet the rising demand for cocoa and chocolate, we must contribute to ensuring that cocoa is grown in a sustainable manner; one that generates income for farmers while also safeguarding the environment,” he urged. “The aim is to secure both the income of small cocoa farmers and the natural balance of the surrounding environment.”


Bookmarks

  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Furl
  • Netvouz
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • Fark
  • Propeller
  • Slashdot
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati

Reader Comments

Australian Food News reserves the right to edit or not publish comments of a potentially offensive or defamatory nature. Comments will not be published if name and email address has not been provided (name and email will be withheld if requested).

The opinions expressed below are those of Australian Food News readers and do not necessarily reflect those of Australian Food News.