Preserving our Belgian chocolate

Belgian chocolate is known at home and abroad as a high quality product. But in addition to quality, consumers expect the product to be further sustainable. That is why Choprabisco, the professional association of the Belgian chocolate sector, along with more than 60 other organizations, put its weight behind the Beyond Chocolate initiative to make the Belgian chocolate sector more sustainable. A look at progress with Guy Gallet, secretary general of Choprabisco.

What are the ambitions?

"Beyond Chocolate has two ambitions," explains Guy Gallet. "The first is that by 2025 all chocolate produced and/or traded in Belgium meets one of the relevant certification standards (FairTrade, Rainforest Alliance, Organic) and/or is produced with cocoa products from proprietary sustainability programs.

By 2025, the agreements between the two main cocoa producing countries (Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana) and industry to reduce deforestation (Cocoa & Forests Initiative) must also be respected.

For the second ambition, the partners are committed to ensuring that by 2030 cocoa producers earn at least a living income. And that further deforestation resulting from cocoa production for the Belgian chocolate sector is stopped."

How far are we today?

Guy Gallet explains the progress: "the Beyond Chocolate secretariat calculated that by 2020, 57% (up from 50% in 2019) of the chocolate produced in Belgium was sustainable according to a certification standard or proprietary sustainability program. Growing market demand for sustainable products seems to further support this trend.

Another advance is seen at the level of traceability. In 2020, the cocoa used to produce Belgian chocolate was traceable to the cocoa farmer level for 42%. Whereas in 2019 it was only 14%."

Pilot projects for a living wage

Belgian Development Cooperation released a €2 million financing fund to encourage private sector investment in sustainable cocoa chains. "8 sustainability projects were launched in Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Through these projects, we invest more than 6 million euros in innovative models and sustainability. In addition, we support more than 12,000 cocoa farmers for a livable income. Successful models will be scaled up in the coming years to reach more cocoa farmers," Guy said.

Together we achieve more

The Beyond Chocolate partnership was launched in late 2018 by the then Minister of Development Cooperation, Alexander De Croo.

"The unique and innovative thing about this initiative is that it brings together more than 60 partner organizations representing different stakeholders: chocolate companies, retailers, government, NGOs, trade unions, social impact investors, certification bodies, knowledge institutions... Because thanks to cooperation, we achieve more than each on its own," Guy concludes. 

More info on Beyond Chocolate can be found here

fevia.be / food.be