Our Cocoa

Our Cocoa

Our Commitment

Through the Ferrero Cocoa Charter, we state our ambition for a cocoa industry that is good for people and nature, and our commitment to make this ambition a reality through responsible cocoa sourcing. We also collaborate with recognised certification schemes such as the Rainforest Alliance, our suppliers, industry partners and NGOs as part of our cocoa sustainability programme.

Knowing the source of our Cocoa

Knowing the source of our Cocoa

Our quality cocoa comes mainly from the Ivory Coast and Ghana, two countries that together account for about 65% of world cocoa production. We use innovating tools and technologies, such as satellites, to enhance traceability of our cocoa! This helps to guarantee quality ingredients and also contributes to ending deforestation. Moreover, we conduct trainings for farmers in climate-smart farming and support them in converting to agroforestry systems.

Basic requirements and beyond

Basic Requirements
and Beyond

As of January 2021, all of the cocoa for Ferrero products is sourced through leading certification bodies and other independently managed standards such as Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, and others. Sourcing sustainable cocoa and ensuring traceability are basic requirements of Ferrero’s approach. Ferrero goes beyond by implementing various initiatives aimed at improving farmer livelihoods, protecting children’s rights, and safeguarding the environment.

Partnership

Partnerships for progress

Ferrero is a longtime member of the World Cocoa Foundation and the International Cocoa Initiative and a founding member of the Cocoa & Forests Initiative aimed at tackling deforestation. In 2020 Ferrero announced its intention to support two public-private initiatives, the Child Learning and Education Facility (CLEF), and the Early Learning and Nutrition Facility (ELAN), that aim to promote quality education and early childhood development for over 6 million children in Ivory Coast.

Cocoa

Improving the sustainability of our Cocoa

From the farms where our cocoa is grown and harvested, to the consumers enjoying our delicious products, is a long journey. During each step of that journey, Ferrero is present to ensure together with its partners, that the cocoa meets our high standards and to continuously improve the environmental and social sustainability of cocoa production.

Our Cocoa

WHERE IT’S GROWN

Our cocoa comes mainly from the Ivory Coast and Ghana. Cocoa is a fruit derived from cocoa pods, which grow on cocoa trees. Every pod contains 30-40 large seeds – known as cocoa beans. 

Tracing cocoa

Tracing our cocoa
to the farm

Ferrero achieves very high traceability of its cocoa from farms to consumers. This is due to its distinctive approach of sourcing the far majority of its cocoa as raw beans, keeping them separate, and then processing them in Ferrero’s own plants. As such, we know which farms the cocoa comes from, which helps to identify issues and drive positive change on the ground together with cooperatives and farmers.

Supporting woman

Supporting Women and Empowering Communities

Women in cocoa growing communities are key agents not only for economic, environmental and social change but importantly for ensuring the protection of children. We support women’s empowerment and reduce gender inequality through our targeted programmes and partnerships. To date, with Ferrero’s support, more than one thousand five hundred Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) have been established, providing thousands of women with access to small loans to support entrepreneurial activities and training to set up and manage a business.

Our Cocoa

HOW IT’S GROWN

The vast majority of the world’s cocoa is grown by smallholder farmers, who are faced by the challenges that cocoa trees require the right conditions to flourish. Water and fertilizer are essential and the farmer must protect the trees from disease and stress. We are committed to supporting cocoa farmers in adopting sustainable agricultural practices.

Diversyfing farm income

Supporting Farmers

Improving cocoa farming practices is important for farmers as it will support them in earning more income. On top of the commercial price, farmers also receive a cash premium. Training for sustainable cocoa production is popular amongst farmers and Ferrero supports investments in these Farmer Field Schools to recruit technicians for trainings.

Supporting Farmers

Diversifying farm income

Cocoa doesn’t provide an income year-round by itself, and often it isn’t sufficient to provide farmers with a decent standard of living. Ferrero supports farmers to diversify their income by planting other crops on their farm such as fruit and timber trees, beekeeping and honey production as well as livestock farming and by setting up income generating activities off-farm.

Our Cocoa

AFTER IT’S HARVESTED

The cocoa beans are harvested twice per year. They are then removed from the shells and left to ferment in heaps under banana leaves for a week. This allows the aromatic precursors of the cocoa to develop. During the next seven days they are dried in the tropical sun. Both the fermentation and drying is often done by women, while men usually take care of the cocoa production, harvest and sales. 

Quality checks

Quality checks

Cocoa harvests differ from year to year and so does the quality and characteristics of the crop. We use our experience to define the best blends to ensure the quality and delicious taste of Ferrero Rocher. The farmers bring their cocoa in jute bags to the nearby purchasing point, often a small warehouse. This is where the beans will undergo their first of many quality checks until they arrive at our factories.

DISCOVER OUR SUSTAINABILITY APPROACH TO

Hazelnuts

Learn about our sustainability approach to other ingredients.