Brazilian cocoa market set for boost with Barry Callebaut and Nestlé venture

Swiss-headquartered chocolate group, Barry Callebaut has confirmed an ambitious partnership with Nestlé targeting net zero cocoa production in Brazil, writes Neill Barston.

As the company explained, the move has centred on a five-year planting initiative that it has stated will include 6.215 hectares of agroforestry and 7.7 million trees planted (cocoa + non cocoa), which is set to provide a framework for a 25-year project.

Notably, as Confectionery Production has previously reported, while two thirds of cocoa supplies for the confectionery sector are presently in West Africa, South America has formed an increasing area of focus for the business.

This has included opening its first cocoa export processing facility in Taycan, Ecuador, as well establishing what has been described as a 640 hectare “Farm of the Future’ exploring sustainable cocoa production methods.

As Barry Callebaut explained, the joint venture has been built around its own sustainability aspirations as well as those of Nestle, and its initiative is anticipated to provide a valuable boost to generating greater cocoa production in Brazil – which has shown a markedly growing market for confectionery, as well as snacks.

This collaboration aligns with both Barry Callebaut and Nestlé’s ambitious sustainability and Net Zero goals, and underscores their commitment to a sustainable future for the cocoa industry.

As the key chocolate group noted, the combined venture will seek to empower entrepreneurial farmers to enter cocoa production and support these key agricultural workers in an environmentally-mindful way.

It hopes this will be attained through making best use of available land, as well as utilising advanced technology, and financial support, the program will drive significant positive environmental and social impact.

As the business added, the joint programme includes three main projects to address different farmer segments and their challenges, and leverages Barry Callebaut’s deep-rooted expertise in seedlings production and its extensive 6 million cocoa seedlings nursery project.

Building on a longstanding partnership with Nestlé, Barry Callebaut is already implementing a 11,500-hectare agroforestry program in Ivory Coast This initiative will benefit over 6,000 farmers through payments for ecosystem services (PES) and is projected to sequester 1.3 million tons of CO2eq over 25 years, directly contributing to both companies’ carbon reduction goals.

Tilmann Silber, Head of Net Zero at Barry Callebaut commented: “This program is a testament to our commitment to delivering the world’s best chocolate solutions and services, while driving positive change in the cocoa industry. With the announcement of our ambitious Net Zero targets in 2024, we are dedicated to working alongside Nestlé on this industry-leading project. By collaborating with our customers in this way, we can accelerate our journey toward these targets, fostering a more sustainable future for cocoa farmers, consumers, and the entire chocolate ecosystem.