Cocoa is grown in a belt around the equator. The largest individual cocoa producer is Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), with Ghana and Indonesia in second and third place.
West Africa accounts for around 70% of total global production. An estimated 3.5 million people in Côte d’Ivoire are employed in the production of cocoa and the corresponding figure for Ghana is 3.2 million.
Most of the cocoa processing, 35%, takes place in Western Europe. Cloetta purchases all cocoa mass, cocoa butter and cocoa powder for its chocolate production from producers in Germany and the Netherlands. The suppliers purchase cocoa beans directly from countries in West Africa (primarily Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire), either from cooperatives or exporters. In the supply chain it is difficult to maintain traceability all the way down to the individual growers, since 90% (approx. 2 million) of the cocoa plantations in West Africa consist of small family farms.
For several years the chocolate industry, in dialogue with several of the major cocoa-producing nations, has highlighted cocoa growing as a matter of common interest for the sector and the industry. In response to challenges such as poverty, inadequate growing methods and the use of child labour above all in family farms, the industry has driven joint initiatives to address these issues
Cloetta has been a member of World Cocoa Foundation since 2005. As a member of the WCF, Cloetta takes part in the projects initiated by the foundation. The WCF supports cocoa farmers and their families through a range of programmes in all major cocoa growing areas.
Cloetta is also a member of Caobisco (Chocolate, Biscuit & Confectionery Industries of the EU), which supports International Cocoa Initiatives for example through the development of control and certification systems for cocoa production. Chokofa, the Swedish industry association, contributes contacts, expertise and projects in which Cloetta takes part.
The problems in many cocoa producing countries are essentially caused by a combination of poverty and political instability. Improving these conditions is no easy task, and many stakeholders must join forces to bring about changes.
We at Cloetta will continue working together with the industry associations and our suppliers to promote sustainable cultivation of cocoa with a focus on quality and good ethics. In addition, we continuously evaluate our opportunities to support other projects with the same objective in various ways.