Sustainable cocoa farming: Mondelēz unveils technical center in Indonesia

08 Oct 2020 --- Mondelēz International has opened its state-of-the-art cocoa crop science technical center in Pasuruan, Indonesia. The center enables the company to develop and promote better cocoa farming practices, continue its work with farming communities, global suppliers and partners.

The move also represents an important step in the company’s strategy to lead the future of snacking by securing a sustainable future for high-quality cocoa, so consumers can “enjoy the right snack, for the right moment, made the right way,” the company outlines.

At the heart of chocolate
As one of the world’s largest cocoa buyers for chocolate, the sustainability of the cocoa farming industry is key to Mondelēz’s long-term growth in Asia and around the world.

“Cocoa is at the heart of chocolate and demand is growing, with Asia set to become the second-largest consumer of cocoa ingredients. Mondelēz is determined to meet that demand in the right way by creating a thriving cocoa sector,” says Maurizio Brusadelli, executive vice president and company president for Asia, the Middle East and Africa. 

Asia is set to become the second-largest consumer of cocoa ingredients in the world, according to Mondelēz. 

“Consumers also expect more from their favorite brands like Cadbury Dairy Milk and Milka chocolate. People want delicious snacks that they feel good about eating, know where ingredients come from and which are produced in ways that are better for the environment and communities.”

“We need to secure a sustainable future for high-quality cocoa and other raw materials we use to create the snacks our consumers love,” adds Brusadelli.

Spotlight on Indonesia
The investment in the Pasuruan Cocoa Technical Center focuses on cocoa crop science R&D. 

It supports sustainable, scalable cocoa farming practices and will work in partnership with Mondelēz’s global cocoa sustainability program, Cocoa Life.  

It also brings local and international cocoa crop science experts together with farmers and suppliers in the cocoa-growing areas of Sulawesi, Sumatra and East Java. 

By the end of 2019, Cocoa Life had reached 175,017 cocoa farmers globally: 43,000 of these are Indonesian cocoa farmers.

“We’re driving positive change by creating a future of sustainable snacking and that includes using our global scale to create a meaningful, lasting impact,” explains Rob Hargrove, executive vice president for research, development and quality at Mondelēz. 

“Our scientists can go from the labs at the center to field sites where we have research collaborations and on-farm activities through Cocoa Life,” Hargrove notes. 

Commitment to Cocoa Life
The center’s focus on cocoa crop science and technology solutions that support high-yielding, sustainable and resilient farming practices is a clear commitment to its 2025 goal of sourcing 100 percent of cocoa for chocolate through Cocoa Life. 

The company is on track to meet that target, with 63 percent of cocoa for its chocolate brands currently sourced through Cocoa Life.

The 2019 Snacking Made Right Report provides a comprehensive update on its 2025 sustainable and mindful snacking goals and its progress toward achieving these goals.

Edited by Elizabeth Green