Survey shows Dutch companies processing more certified sustainable cocoa

07 May 2018 --- An increasingly large proportion of cocoa purchased by Dutch cocoa processing companies is certified sustainable, according to the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. However, the share only inched up from 21 percent in 2014 to 30 percent two years later in 2016.

The data about the use of certified sustainable cocoa was gathered by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and commissioned by the Dutch government. And although more certified sustainable cocoa is being used, the figures show there is still some way to go. 

The Netherlands purchased 600 million kilograms of cocoa beans and 100 million kilograms of cocoa products for processing purposes in 2016. The country is a major importer of cocoa beans and one-fifth of the beans entering the global market are Dutch imports.

The imported cocoa beans are processed into semi-finished products such as cocoa mass, cocoa butter and cocoa powder by a handful of large holdings. The majority of these semi-finished products are exported. 

The remainder is processed into end products by chocolate manufacturers, bakeries and other food producers, some of which are also exported, according to the CBS. 

It is not revealing which companies took part in its survey but says that the some of the driving forces behind sustainability are various organizations, such as WWF and Max Havelaar as well as the Dutch government.

“In addition, the business community is active through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability in the Netherlands is more prevalent among consumers than in neighboring countries,” Cor Pierik, from CBS, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

“The 9 percent (increase from 2014-2016) concerns both the purchase for the Dutch and the foreign market. There is much less interest in sustainable cocoa abroad. The increase therefore mainly concerns Dutch use.”

Pierik adds that cocoa is certified in the Netherlands by UTZ, Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade International. 

“They certify themselves and are supervised by the ISEAL Alliance. Organic is usually certified by a national certification organization. In the Netherlands this is SKAL.”
Survey reveals insights into cocoa processing companies

The CBS survey, conducted at the end of 2016 and beginning of 2017, involved several Dutch cocoa processing companies in a bid to gain valuable insights into the choices made by some of the key cocoa players in the country.

The participating companies process an estimated 85 to 95 percent of the total amount of cocoa beans and 45 to 55 percent of the total amount of cocoa mass, cocoa butter and cocoa powder in the Netherlands. 

Around 60 percent of all end products that can be found on supermarket shelves come from companies that participated in the survey, say CBS, and ss a result, they provide an accurate picture of the purchasing and use of sustainable cocoa.

Out of the participating companies, eight in 10 indicated they import cocoa with sustainability certification. In 60 percent of these cases, this involved an approved sustainability certificate.

In addition, CBS says that it is mainly large holdings purchasing certified cocoa, how-ever, the share of certified sustainable cocoa purchased varies between the branches of industry. 

In 2016, it was nearly 30 percent among companies processing cocoa beans into cocoa mass, cocoa butter and cocoa powder, versus around 45 percent among chocolate manufacturers and bakeries.

Of the Dutch companies that process cocoa into food products, 27 percent reported in 2016 that they only purchase certified sustainable cocoa.

The survey also examined the channels through which food products reach consumers and concluded that of all cocoa incorporated into food products by the participating companies in 2016, 70 percent was exported, while one-quarter ended up in a Dutch supermarket. 

Of the cocoa incorporated into the food products available at supermarkets, 86 percent was sustainable, while almost all of it had approved sustainability certification.