Barry Callebaut has launched its sixth Forever Chocolate Progress Report, presenting the company’s progress against its target in 2016 to make sustainable chocolate the norm. One of its key achievements is that the group has increased the proportion of products sold containing 100% sustainable cocoa or chocolate to 49.4%, meaning one in two products.

The Progress Report, covering the Fiscal Year 2021/22, ending August 30, 2022, shows that the Swiss chocolate and cocoa giant is continuing to scale up activities by partnering with customers as well as societal and industry stakeholders to create impact on the ground. 

“Forever Chocolate is our plan to make sustainable chocolate the norm, and it is truly becoming a reality. With the support of our customers, one out of two products we sell contain sustainably sourced cocoa or chocolate,” underscores CEO Peter Boone.

Cocoa sustainability 
Sustainably sourced cocoa is grown following various green cocoa certification programs, improving farmers’ livelihoods through premium payments and improved farming practices.

Barry Callebaut is deploying programs to fight child labor and deforestation, reduce carbon emissions and improve farmer prosperity.In addition to this certification, Barry Callebaut is deploying programs to fight child labor and deforestation, reduce carbon emissions and improve farmer prosperity. 

Among them is Cocoa Horizons, the group’s preferred vehicle to drive impact and deliver on its Forever Chocolate ambition while addressing customer needs. 

In 2021/22, significant growth in Cocoa Horizons premiums was reported, driven by solid demand from customers seeking a program that focuses on impact. Cocoa Horizons premiums rose to CHF 37.4 million (US$39.6 million) in funds, a 30% increase.

Commitment to sustainable ingredients
The group’s sustainable sourcing target aims to have 100% sustainable ingredients in all its products. 

At Barry Callebaut, approximately half of the ingredient volumes it sources consist of cocoa products. The other half consists of different ingredients – sugar, dairy, palm oil, coconut oil, sweeteners, nuts and vanilla, among others, the company notes.

But each ingredient has its unique sustainability challenges, it concedes.

With the upcoming formalization of the sustainable coconut and coconut oil roundtable as well as the new standard on sweeteners introduced by the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI), the company has now established sustainability standards for the vast majority of non-cocoa ingredients, allowing it to currently source almost three out of four ingredients certified (73.4% compared to 66.2% prior year).

Continuing to scale up activities
Next to its target to have 100% sustainable ingredients in all of our products, Forever Chocolate contains targets to have more than 500,000 cocoa farmers in the supply chain lifted out of poverty, eradicate child labor from our supply chain and become carbon and forest positive.

As the future requirements for a sustainable chocolate supply chain constantly evolve and transform, Barry Callebaut has assessed wher its targets need improvements. 

“We want to add fresh ambition to our Forever Chocolate Plan. In spring 2023, we will present a set of sharpened targets, using our ongoing Forever Chocolate targets for 2025 as a springboard,” adds Boone.