Barry Callebaut inks sustainable chocolate deal

Barry Callebaut has signed an agreement with Amsterdam-based chocolate company Tony’s Chocolonely to produce chocolate from fully traceable sustainable cocoa.

Under the partnership, Barry Callebaut will install a dedicated cocoa butter tank in its factory in Wieze/Belgium to produce cocoa butter from traceable beans sourced from Tony’s Chocolonely’s partner cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire.

Tony’s Chocolonely works with Barry Callebaut to create traceable bean-to-bar offerings. The two companies have cooperated since 2005, when Barry Callebaut started to produce Tony’s Chocolonely’s Fairtrade cocoa liquor. As of 2013, Barry Callebaut produced chocolate for Tony’s Chocolonely that included traceable sustainable cocoa liquor.

“Having made sustainable cocoa one of the four pillars of our strategy, we champion the development of a fully sustainable chocolate value chain,” says Antoine de Saint-Affrique, CEO of Barry Callebaut. “This partnership with Tony’s Chocolonely is a milestone in our efforts to provide fully sustainable products to our customers.”

Eva Gouwens, first lady of chocolate of Tony’s Chocolonely, adds, “It is our mission to make 100% slave free chocolate the norm in the industry.”

“Our sourcing model is based on five principles. We source our cocoa beans directly from our partner cooperatives and follow the beans along the supply chain, we pay a higher price, we have entered into long term contracts with the farmers, we strengthen their organisations and improve quality and productivity together.”