Barry Callebaut and Prova partner on sustainably sourced cocoa and vanilla in “Better For You” chocolate

16 Jul 2021 --- Barry Callebaut is teaming up with vanilla supplier Prova to launch a new charter in Madagascar that will boost its vanilla sourcing credentials. The tie-up will bring 100 percent sustainability to Barry Callebaut’s North American “Better For You” chocolate portfolio.

In addition, the Swiss chocolate giant is moving toward 100 percent sustainably sourced cacao within this product range. These developments along both supply chains are hailed as important steps toward the company’s 2025 Forever Chocolate sustainability goals.

Barry Callebaut’s Better For You portfolio includes – but is not limited to – sugar solutions (sugar-free, reduced sugar and no sugar added), high-protein, dairy-free and organic solutions.

The portfolio has seen high growth and innovation in recent years, the supplier highlights. “Being fully cocoa and vanilla sustainable adds to the value proposition of our products, which our customers can leverage in their product development and storytelling.”

Barry Callebaut and Prova will fund and support local communities through social, health and education programs.

“The cocoa and vanilla synergy is an ancient love-story that dates back to the Aztecs, thousands of years ago,” says Alessandra Ognibene-Lerouvillois, chief sustainability officer at Prova. “Witnessing this marriage in the field, helping farmers to improve their livelihoods is a big achievement.”

According to Innova Market Insights, new vanilla-flavored products increased by 24 percent over the last five years.Reducing farmers’ dependency on volatile vanilla market
According to Innova Market Insights, new vanilla-flavored products increased by 24 percent over the last five years. With its round and versatile taste, the classic flavor can be used in a widening variety of applications, bringing new formats to the fore.

With about 80,000 vanilla producers, Madagascar is by far the most important producer of vanilla globally. Although vanilla is referred to as the world’s most popular taste and second most expensive spice in the world, it is also one of the most labor-intensive crops.

The vast majority of farmers are smallholders situated in the Sava region of northern Madagascar. The rather precarious livelihood of vanilla planters is mainly due to their sole dependency on vanilla and the lack of financial support.

Vanilla is harvested and sold from July to December, leading to an income gap of at least five months. Cocoa can be harvested throughout the year, helping vanilla farmers to diversify and stabilize their income situation while reducing the dependency on the extremely volatile vanilla market.

Through the new project, the involved parties also aim to anticipate future phases with lower vanilla market prices and protect the economic situation of the local vanilla producers.

Barry Callebaut’s joint project with Prova aims to improve the livelihoods of the vanilla farmers located in the district of Bemanevika, Madagascar. Its targets include raising the levels of vanilla curing at the farm level while supporting the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).

“Barry Callebaut looks at the Better For You segment through an end-consumer lens,” says Laura Bergan, director of Barry Callebaut Brand. “Our innovation and portfolio are driven by consumer lifestyles and a result of closely monitoring market trends.”

“Our sustainable portfolio goes beyond health benefits including the quality of the ingredients and the impact on the planet and farmers’ livelihood, which plays an important role for consumers.”

Barry Callebaut and Prova are both supporters of the Sustainable Vanilla Initiative (SVI), a platform bringing together all the stakeholders of the vanilla sector.

Cocoa grown in Madagascar is certified as Fine or Flavor Cocoa by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO).New sustainable cocoa horizons
Cocoa grown in Madagascar is certified as “Fine or Flavor Cocoa” by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO). It has particular flavor profiles, which makes it interesting for users of premium cocoa. The price for Madagascar cocoa is higher and more stable than the international cocoa prices.

All Better For You products will be verified through the Cocoa Horizons Foundation. The foundation aims to create self-driven and self-sustaining cocoa communities.

The program is currently present in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, Indonesia, Brazil and Ecuador.

Sustainable Cocoa Horizons-verified cocoa and chocolate products are sold by Barry Callebaut with a premium used to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and their communities.

These premiums go to the Cocoa Horizons Foundation to fund cocoa sustainability activities such as farmer coaching and support, cocoa and non-cocoa seedling distribution, and community development in a transparent and externally verified process.

Chocolate for forever
Forever Chocolate is built on four targets that Barry Callebaut expects to achieve by 2025 and that address the biggest sustainability challenges in the chocolate supply chain:

• Eradicate child labor from its supply chain.
• Lift more than 500,000 cocoa farmers out of poverty.
• Become carbon and forest positive. 
• Provide 100 percent sustainable ingredients in all its products.

Among its most recent initiatives, Barry Callebaut is focusing its efforts on promoting biodiversity among its nursery production facilities in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, Brazil, Ecuador and Indonesia.

Sustainable Cocoa Horizons-verified cocoa and chocolate products are sold by Barry Callebaut with a premium used to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.These nurseries are stocked with both cocoa and non-cocoa seedlings, as highly biodiverse cocoa farms have been shown to be drought-, disease- and pest-resilient, while producing higher yields.

The Swiss giant is also tailoring its business to accommodate new upcycling systems. It has recently unveiled the WholeFruit chocolate range’s “first expression,” Evocao, which can be used as couverture by chefs and artisans. The offering is made from 100 percent cacao fruit, allowing the company to appeal to demands for both reduced sugar and upcycled products.

Among other highlights, Carma Chocolate is the first chocolate to be launched by the Swiss chocolate manufacturer with “100 percent sustainable ingredients.”

Other eco-initiatives
Aside from its moves in sustainably sourced cocoa and vanilla, the cacao giant is also ramping up its focus on lowering its carbon emissions along the dairy supply chain. As part of its VisionDairy Charter for sustainably sourced milk, Barry Callebaut recently spearheaded a pilot study that quantifies CO2 emission reduction in dairy cattle as a result of feed additives.

Last May, Barry Callebaut launched a large-scale indicative High Carbon Stock (HCS) map covering Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

“Barry Callebaut embraces its role as an industry leader by leading the sustainable cocoa and chocolate movement,” says Laura Bergan, director of Barry Callebaut Brand. “We cannot achieve our ambitious goal by tomorrow and we cannot achieve it alone.”

By Benjamin Ferrer