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Puratos announces sustainable cocoa coatings

7 Jan 2016

Puratos has announced premium compound coatings made with 100% sustainable cocoa powder, claiming it is setting a new standard in the industry by introducing a great tasting, sustainable cocoa powder from its Cacao-Trace program.

Puratos has announced premium compound coatings made with 100% sustainable cocoa powder.

In 2012, Puratos says that started to exclusively use sustainable palm oil, certified by RSPO, in its compound products (branded Carat). Now, Puratos claims it is setting a new standard in the industry by introducing a great tasting, sustainable cocoa powder from its Cacao-Trace program.

More and more consumers are curious about where their food comes from, the company believes: along with a great tasting product, they want to be able to trace the ingredients back to earth, to the conditions in which they were grown and to the people who cultivated them.

Cacao-Trace is said to be unique because of the approach Puratos takes to farming communities. The company has invested in two cocoa collection and training centres close to farmers, in Vietnam and Ivory Coast. Farming communities generally don’t have access to such full time services and support focused on their needs, the company says.

In its cocoa collection centre, Puratos says it controls the entire post-harvest process. By taking care of the fermentation and drying of cocoa beans the company claims to be able to provide high-quality raw materials to its factories ensuring that sustainable sourcing efforts can be combined with great taste. Physical traceability is managed through an internal control system, which allows the companys to give customers full transparency on the origin of our cocoa.

Puratos says its aim is to increase the profitability of farmers by enhancing their professionalization. There is no single solution to overcome all the challenges farmers face, the company believes, which is why it needs to work on multiple fronts to trigger a positive circle of change. First, Puratos provides training on how to improve the quality and the productivity of the farms, resulting in higher volumes. Training courses focus on how to sustainably protect the environment (soil protection, soil nutrition, renovation of trees) so farmers will be able to continue to grow cocoa in the future. Second, Puratos pays a premium to incentivize the farmers to provide the best quality beans, resulting in more income. All of this contributes to sustainable livelihoods for the farmers and their families, the company claims.

By using its compound coatings, Puratos says its customers are guaranteed a great-tasting product that is made with respect, both for the cocoa farmer and for his environment. In addition, all Carat items are gluten-free and contain 0g trans-fat, responding to growing nutritional awareness.