Swiss chocolate products manufacturer Barry Callebaut has announced that its cocoa bean supplier Biopartenaire has gained Rainforest Alliance Certification.
Barry Callebaut noted that Biopartenaire works with cocoa farmers across 292 villages to produce quality, well-fermented and well-dried cocoa.
In collaboration with its sustainability experts, the company trains the farmers in sustainable agricultural practices and post-harvest management techniques in accordance with the certification standards.
Barry Callebaut buys a majority of the cocoa from Biopartenaire-registered farmers. The company aims to employ Biopartenaire's farmer-centric approach to enhance sustainable cocoa production in Cte d'Ivoire.
Biopartenaire founder Eric Smeets said that the company works with smallholder farmers on the basis of mutual respect and trust, which helped the company to achieve Rainforest Alliance certification and UTZ certification in a very short time.
The Rainforest Alliance certification standard includes economic, social and environmental criteria, with an emphasis on environmental issues, including protection of natural resources and the management of chemical inputs.