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Fairtrade cocoa demand increases during pandemic as more consumers make ethical choices By Anthony Myers A boom in consumer demand for Fairtrade products in 2020, including cocoa, is reflecting the extent to which the coronavirus pandemic has sparked an increased global consciousness, changing the way many of us eat, drink and shop.
The Fairtrade organisation said its purchases increased by 15% in the last year and almost 30% of consumers pledged to buy more Fairtrade goods in the future, according to Ethical Consumer’s recent Ethical Markets Report produced in collaboration with Co-operative Group in the UK.
Even pets are going ethical: Ben & Jerry’s now offer pet food made from Fairtrade ingredients in the US, a first for Fairtrade.
Chocoa 2021 goes virtual to keep sustainability at the forefront of the cocoa sector By Anthony Myers Key Amsterdam conference promises a virtual platform providing unique networking opportunities for the cocoa and chocolate industry.
The ninth edition of the influential Chocoa festival and conference has a different look and feel this year when it will be launched as virtual event from 24 February until 26 of February.
Always an early highlight of the conference calendar for the cocoa and chocolate industry, this year’s programme will be centred around the theme of child labour, an apt topic as 2021 has been designated International Year for the Elimination of Child labour.
Mars calls for more shared accountability across cocoa sector as it delivers new human rights report Mars Wrigley, part of Mars, Incorporated, has published its cocoa human rights report with renewed efforts to address root causes of child and forced labour in the cocoa sector.
‘Respecting Human Rights in the Cocoa Supply Chain’ includes updates on the company’s progress toward the target of 100% of its cocoa being sourced under its Responsible Cocoa programme by 2025, and it also ‘contextualises Mars Wrigley’s human rights goals within the cocoa sector’.
Cocoa for Generations
This year has been declared by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour. Mars Wrigley said it has committed $1bn to its Cocoa for Generations strategy, focused on protecting children, preserving forests and improving farmer income.
Nestlé maps out path to 2050 net-zero climate goal with sustainably sourced cocoa at centre By Anthony Myers Nestlé has revealed it will change its farming practices with suppliers in the way its food is produced and will transition to regenerative agriculture to benefit nature and improve farmer incomes in order to reach its 2050 net-zero climate goal.
The manufacturing giant said that nearly two-thirds of its total emissions are linked to agriculture, with cocoa, coffee and milk being the key ingredients for Nestlé in Europe, Middle East, and North Africa.
It has pledged to focus in the future on healthy soils, net-zero dairy farms, and sustainably sourced cocoa and coffee.