YILDIZ Enters PACTS Program for Sustainable Côte D’ivoire Cocoa

28 Jan 2014 --- YILDIZ HOLDING, Turkey’s leading food and beverage company, has just entered a sponsorship action with the Processors Alliance for Cocoa Traceability and Sustainability – PACTS – program. The move was announced at this year’s ISM in Cologne.

Initiated in 2010 by CEMOI, France’s No 1 chocolatier, the alliance brings together the efforts of two other independent family-owned groups, BLOMMER and PETRA FOOD (a Delfi brand), to develop a sustainable and traceable cocoa network in Côte d’Ivoire.

PACTS’ main objective is to create a more professional production chain by focusing on the farmer and respecting the environment, while also increasing yields. This vision is realized by offering farmer trainings, agronomical support, and introducing innovative farming practices.

In 2014, YILDIZ HOLDING will invest in PACTS’ efforts, focusing on the improvement of the living and working conditions of cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire. This initiative will provide the PACTS fermentation and drying centres with access to drinkable water and solar light, which makes the work of the teams at the centres considerably easier and improves the livelihood of the farming communities around the centres. Drinkable water for the communities around the Centers In the first part of 2014, this project will focus on 8 selected centers of Côte d’Ivoire that have no access at all to drinkable water. The drilling points proposed will provide between 100 and 4.000 inhabitants with fresh water per Center. Each site will require a unique drilling system, according to criteria of population size, geographical location, geophysical and geomorphological study results and ground fracture areas.

The completion of this project should improve considerably the sanitary conditions of the entire community, reducing the number of diseases related to unsafe drinking water, and also the assignment of children and young girls to water supply tasks.

The second objective of this investment is the implementation of solar lighting installations for each center. The panels will be split up between the warehouse of Cacao Frais and Cacao Select, allowing both interior and exterior lighting of the buildings, and also charging of electrical equipments for up to 7 hours per day. This will greatly increase security level at the centers, offering more visibility during night work and better monitoring of the center, while also enhancing communication between centers and allowing emergency calls.

Yildiz Holding A.S. is a leading global food and beverages company with sales in over 80 countries. Through its subsidiaries, including Ulker Biskuvi and Godiva, Yildiz Holding A.S. produces a range of products, including biscuits, chocolate and chocolate-covered products, margarine and edible oils, beverages, dairy products, culinary products, and baby food. Founded in 1944, Yildiz Holding A.S. is based in Istanbul, Turkey and employs approximately 40,000 people globally. Yildiz Holding has a total of 56 factories of which 47 are dispersed in five regions nationwide and nine plants operate in nine countries outside of Turkey.