Carma Chocolate, a Barry Callebaut brand, is the first chocolate launched by the Swiss chocolate manufacturer with “100 percent sustainable ingredients.” According to the brand, passion for selecing high-quality ingredients and creating an incomparable tasting experience unique to Swiss chocolate is of the “utmost importance.”

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Bas Smit, global head of marketing at Barry Callebaut, says there is an increased appreciation for propositions with a great respect for nature. 

“Consumers more and more have distinctive tastes and desires in their food and beverage choices. They are health-minded and environmentally conscious, wanting their products to be good for them, the people around them, and good for the planet. They seek tasty, nutritious and honest food and drinks.”

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, now more than ever, people realize how vulnerable our health is. This is not just about Centennials and Millennials, but also for other generations, personal and environmental well-being will have a different meaning,” he explains. 

Spotlight on sustainability
Cocoa is in the spotlight around the world from a sustainability perspective,” says Dimitri Fayard, gourmet brands chef at the Chicago Chocolate Academy.

“More chocolate lovers want to make sure they can indulge in their favorite treat without harming the planet and its people. But to make a real difference for our planet, key players of the chocolate industry are looking to go beyond sourcing sustainable cocoa beans.”

“Chocolate and ingredients provenance gives consumers confidence in quality. They are also looking to improve their purchasing and consuming habits by buying chocolates that promote better practices to preserve the environment.”

The growing demands from chefs for sustainable ingredients started with local farmers to get fresh fruits, dairy, etc. It is now expanding to every ingredient and aspect of the industry, says Fayard. “Chefs are more than ever looking for ways to connect and support a reputable source, knowing wher their ingredients come from, how it was harvested, collected, stored, transported, and chocolate subsequently falls into that category.”

Swiss chocolate-making has been consistently refined throughout the centuries, and improved production processes and the use of quality ingredients has enabled chocolatiers to have the highest standards of quality in chocolate. 

The long and rich history of making chocolate in Switzerland is tied to Carma’s founder, Carl Mentler. 

Drive for ethical ingredients According to Carma, sustainable production is crucial to supporting artisans and chefs in bringing to life their creations without depleting the world’s resources.

Chocolate artisans and chefs worldwide are becoming advocates for using ethically-sourced ingredients to preserve chocolate for future generations.

According to the brand, Carma goes “beyond just cocoa” to source the most sustainable ingredients at every step of the process. Every ingredient in Carma couvertures: cocoa, dairy, sugar and vanilla, are all sustainable. 

Balancing sustainability with reliability and consistency in taste profile and color is a critical part of the Swiss chocolate crafting process. 

Challenges in supply chains
The challenges that the chocolate supply chain faces include:

• Ending forced labor.
• Impeding deforestation.
• Environmental issues.
• Helping farmers prosper.
• Ensuring that ingredients used are fully sustainable and traceable. 

That also means that each chocolate ingredient faces its sustainability challenges, and a constantly growing global population presents even more challenging obstacles to sourcing these ingredients.

Carma wants to “make chocolate last forever.” The brand says: “it is not a task – sustainable chocolate is a movement that should be the norm in the chocolate industry.”

Today Carma chocolates are available globally with a strong presence in Switzerland, Germany, UK, France, Italy, China and UAE.What’s on the chocolate menu?

In this space, major chocolate players, including Nestlé and Mondelēz International, recently signed up to the EU’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Business and Marketing Practices, which sets out actions to make healthy and sustainable food choices more accessible.

Moreover, Barry Callebaut has been active in the European region in recent months.

The company recently signed a long-term outsourcing agreement with Atlantic Stark, a Serbia-based chocolate, biscuits and candy manufacturer. 

Last month, the Swizz chocolate manufacturer agreed to acquire Europe Chocolate Company, a Belgian privately-owned B2B manufacturer of chocolate specialties and decorations. 

In the same month, the company launched its WholeFruit chocolate range’s “first expression” as Evocao, which can be used as couverture by chefs and artisans.