CERTIFIED COCOA

Cocoa is our life and therefore we don’t just buy random cocoa from random suppliers – we only accept the best. Today, 100% of the cocoa we buy is Rainforest Alliance Certified – and you can see the Rainforest Alliance Certified logo directly on the packaging. The Rainforest Alliance Certified farmers are organized into local cooperatives that sell cocoa beans to the Cocio suppliers.

When buying Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa, we are actively aiming to improve the living conditions of cocoa farmers by ensuring agricultural training and a better price for their products. This means that they get a basic training in growing the cocoa. They are also taught how to run a sustainable production process, focusing on increased crop yields, improving quality, fighting child labor, ensuring better working conditions and safeguarding nature.

And we follow up. At least once a year, external and independent inspectors ensure that the training is completed, that the rules are followed and that the supply chain stays transparent all the way to the consumers. Furthermore, we are annually sending someone from Cocio to visit Ivory Coast. And no, not on vacation, but to secure responsible cocoa production.

RESPONSIBLE PRODUCTION

We don’t want this to sound like one of those “save-the-world”-songs. But we’re actually trying to do some good, besides providing awesome taste for you.

We try to help protecting West African cocoa production from insects and plant diseases. These can often destroy an entire harvest, but luckily, we can avoid this by increasing knowledge and expertise. Education of farmers in these agricultural threats is an essential part of the Rainforest Alliance Certified program and is also a means to a better and safer working environment for the farmers – and more responsibly grown cocoa for Cocio. A genuine win/win situation.

Since 2008, Cocio started to use responsibly produced cocoa – and since 2010, it has been possible for the Cocio suppliers to buy Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa from the Western part of Africa.

If you want to read more about the Rainforest Alliance Certification, please visit: www.rainforest-alliance.org

IMPROVED LIVING CONDITIONS

In Ivory Coast, there are almost one million family farms with small plots of land in otherwise inaccessible jungle areas. A poor infrastructure, illiteracy, health problems and lack of agricultural skills make the living conditions in the Ivory Coast challenging. When a family join the Rainforest Alliance Certified program, or a Rainforest Alliance Certified cooperative, it will contribute to the improvement of their living standards.

Compliance with the strict requirements laid down by the Rainforest Alliance is closely monitored by independent third parties. The cocoa program also enables farmers to negotiate higher prices when selling cocoa beans, which in turn enables them to send their kids to school and invest in development of their business.

COCOA FAQ

Where does it come from? Who produces it? So many questions!

FAQ about our cocoa