Artisans continue to lead the way forward through Belgian chocolate brand Callebaut®, which now ensures 100% farmer group traceability in all its products
The Barry Callebaut Group, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, hosted an exclusive virtual press event in Japan to announce its collaboration with local chocolate manufacturers, artisans, retailers, and wholesalers such as Morinaga, Yuraku Confectionery, FamilyMart Co., Ltd., G+ Spread, Le Chocolat De H, Chocolate Design and J.Maeda to make sustainable chocolate the norm for the Japanese market.
Since the global launch of Forever Chocolate, its plan to make sustainable chocolate the norm by 2025, Barry Callebaut has persistently pushed for systemic change to the cocoa and chocolate value chain worldwide and in Japan over the past few years.
Amongst various efforts, the Swiss company has consistently championed for companies to be purpose-driven and to put sustainability at the heart of their business strategy. They have also led the introduction of Cocoa Horizons, one of its key sustainability programs, as an effective avenue for customers, also the mentioned above, to contribute directly to sustainability efforts in origin countries.
With the long-term shift towards sustainable chocolate because of its positive effects on economic, social and environmental change, several chocolate manufacturers in Japan have reaffirmed their commitment to produce sustainable chocolate even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March this year, Yuraku Confectionery pioneered this move by announcing their transition to 100% sustainable chocolate in all their highly popular Black Thunder chocolate bars by 2025. In the coming weeks, leading confectionery maker in Japan, Morinaga, will also introduce its sustainable chocolate products that will be widely available in grocery shops and retailers across Japan. These successful partnerships with Barry Callebaut show it is possible to make a difference on a large scale.
Barry Callebaut’s artisan customers such as Le Chocolat De H have long paved the way for sustainable chocolate through the company’s Gourmet product offerings. Under the finest Belgian chocolate brand Callebaut®, cocoa can now be traced back to the Cocoa Horizons farming communities in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Ecuador.
