Barry Callebaut accelerates drive towards sustainable cocoa with launch of CHF 40 million global initiative
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Barry Callebaut accelerates drive towards sustainable cocoa with launch of CHF
40 million global initiative
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New Cocoa Horizons initiative underscores sustainability commitment
Barry Callebaut accelerates drive towards sustainable cocoa with launch of CHF
40 million global initiative to further improve yields, quality and livelihoods
in key cocoa-producing countries
* New multifaceted "Cocoa Horizons" initiative builds on Barry Callebaut's
landmark cocoa sustainability program Quality Partner Program (QPP)
* Farmer Practices - Barry Callebaut to open Cocoa Center of Excellence and
5 Farmer Academies in Côte d'Ivoire; agricultural training will enable
farmers to further boost production and to be eligible for independent
certification
* Farmer Education - Community-centered actions to advance cocoa farming
education and business skills training will aim to develop the next
generation of farmers
* Farmer Health - Integrated health actions will enhance rural community
welfare and support local institutions and services
Zurich/Switzerland, March 15, 2012 - Barry Callebaut, the world's leading
manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate, has launched a CHF 40 million
cocoa sustainability initiative to boost farm productivity, increase quality and
improve family livelihoods in key cocoa producing countries in West and Central
Africa and Indonesia over 10 years. In fiscal year 2011/2012 the company will
invest CHF 5 million in farmer training, infrastructure and community education
and health programs. The activities will be undertaken in cooperation with
agricultural and development experts and government institutions. Barry
Callebaut will focus first on large producer countries including Côte d'Ivoire,
Ghana, Indonesia, Cameroon and Brazil, and aims to expand the initiative, called
Cocoa Horizons, to other cocoa producing countries with high development
potential over the coming years.
"The scarcity of quality cocoa is a serious concern that touches the heart of
our business - because without more cocoa, we can't produce more chocolate.
Innovative and comprehensive solutions are urgently needed to reverse the
overall decline in global cocoa production. We've therefore made sustainable
cocoa a pillar of our company's ambitious growth strategy, and accelerated our
longtime efforts to ensure sustainable cocoa production. Our newest initiative,
"Cocoa Horizons", is the most ambitious and far reaching sustainability program
in Barry Callebaut's history," said CEO Juergen B. Steinemann.
The initiative builds on Barry Callebaut's proven Quality Partner Program (QPP)
for cocoa farmer cooperatives. Launched in 2005, and currently engaging more
than 40,000 farmers in Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon, QPP was the first program of
its kind to emphasize quality improvement goals for cocoa as well as farming
practices. Barry Callebaut's Cocoa Horizons initiative comprises 3 pillars:
Farmer Practices - Enabling farmers to boost farm productivity and cocoa quality
through Barry Callebaut's training programs in yield enhancement techniques and
sustainable cocoa production, and to be eligible for independent certification
according to multiple cocoa sustainability standards.
Farmer Education - Improving access to education in cocoa farming communities
and promoting a cocoa curriculum and other actions to develop the next
generation of young cocoa farmers.
Farmer Health - Improving access to basic health care and clean water in cocoa
farming communities to contribute to the wellbeing of farming families.
While 2010/11 delivered a bumper cocoa crop due to favorable weather conditions,
during the last 6 years the annual cocoa supply has frequently fallen short of
demand. Barry Callebaut estimates that by 2020 the global cocoa and chocolate
industry will need an additional 1 million metric tons of cocoa to meet the
rising demand for chocolate, driven by markets in Asia, Eastern Europe and the
Americas.
"Cocoa Horizons is our long-term initiative to improve farmer productivity and
livelihoods in a sustainable way," said Steven Retzlaff, President Global
Sourcing & Cocoa. "We define cocoa production as 'sustainable' when farmers earn
equitable income, engage in responsible labor practices, safeguard the
environment through sound agricultural practices and can provide for the basic
health and education needs and general well-being of their families."
Farmer Practices
Barry Callebaut will open a Center of Cocoa Excellence and 5 Farmer Academies in
important cocoa growing regions in Cote d'Ivoire. The new Cocoa Horizons
initiative defines a portfolio of yield enhancement techniques aimed at
increasing the yields per hectare and quality of cocoa grown by smallholder
farmers. Various training approaches and methodologies, such as Farmer Field
Schools, are used to promote sound agricultural and labor practices, proper
fermentation and drying, and disease and pest management. Model farms will be
established in cooperation with local communities. These will be used for
research and a range of training activities including specialized advanced
training in grafting and farm regeneration. Barry Callebaut expects to reach an
additional 50,000 smallholder farmers through its various training activities
over the next 10 years.
Agricultural training offers a pathway for interested farmers and farmer
organizations to work towards compliance with certification standards including
UTZ Certified, Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, organic and others. Barry
Callebaut began offering certification training to farmers in 2001. Currently,
Barry Callebaut is conducting more than 400 Farmer Field Schools and working
with more than 50 cooperatives in Côte d'Ivoire alone to help enable farmers to
meet their goals for independent certification.
The company will continue to expand its controlled fermentation programs in Côte
d'Ivoire, Cameroon and Indonesia to create additional opportunities for farmers
to increase their incomes. Using Barry Callebaut's patented advanced
fermentation technique farmers can produce high quality cocoa beans with no
defects or off-flavors in significantly less time than by conventional
fermentation methods.
In 2011, Barry Callebaut began marketing "Terra Cacao," a chocolate made from
"zero-defect beans" from Côte d'Ivoire, and won several coveted innovation
awards with the groundbreaking product. Based on the exceptional success of the
program in Côte d'Ivoire, Barry Callebaut launched a parallel program in
Cameroon where participating farmers are earning more for their cocoa, compared
to the average prices for conventionally fermented and dried Cameroon cocoa.
Farmer Education
Community-centered education activities will aim to develop the next generation
of young cocoa farmers, including tailored activities for women and youth. A
curriculum to promote cocoa farming education and business skills training will
be promoted. Focus areas for training activities will also include functional
literacy, health and safety practices, and child labor sensitization.
Farmer Health
In partnership with local community leaders, farmer organizations and
development experts, Barry Callebaut will execute integrated actions to improve
access to basic health care and potable water for cocoa farmers and their
families. The aim of these actions will be to enhance rural community welfare
and support local institutions and services.
***
Barry Callebaut (www.barry-callebaut.com):
With annual sales of about CHF 4.6 billion (EUR 3.6 billion/USD 5.0 billion) for
fiscal year 2010/11, Zurich-based Barry Callebaut is the world's leading
manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate - from the cocoa bean to the
finished chocolate product. Barry Callebaut is present in 27 countries, operates
around 40 production facilities and employs a diverse and dedicated workforce of
about 6,000 people. Barry Callebaut serves the entire food industry focusing on
industrial food manufacturers, artisans and professional users of chocolate
(such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs or bakers), the latter with its two global
brands Callebaut(®) and Cacao Barry(®). Barry Callebaut is the global leader in
cocoa and chocolate innovations and provides a comprehensive range of services
in the fields of product development, processing, training and marketing. Cost
leadership is another important reason why global as well as local food
manufacturers work together with Barry Callebaut. Through its broad range of
sustainability initiatives and research activities, the company works with
farmers, farmer organizations and other partners to help ensure future supplies
of cocoa and improve farmer livelihoods.
***
Contacts
for investors and financial analysts: for the media:
Evelyn Nassar Raphael Wermuth
Head of Investor Relations External Communications Manager
Barry Callebaut AG Barry Callebaut AG
Phone: +41 43 204 04 23 Phone: +41 43 204 04 58
evelyn_nassar(at)barry-callebaut.com raphael_wermuth(at)barry-callebaut.com
***
The complete news release can be downloaded from the following link:
Press Release (PDF):
http://hugin.info/100441/R/1593526/501451.pdf
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originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Barry Callebaut AG via Thomson Reuters ONE
[HUG#1593526]
Unternehmensinformation / Kurzprofil:
Datum: 15.03.2012 - 10:01 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 125100
Anzahl Zeichen: 11164
contact information:
Town:
Zurich
Kategorie:
Business News
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