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The chocolate industry, which consumed 43 percent of all cocoa in 2017, had a retail market value of
USD 106.19 billion in 2017 and is expected to grow to USD 189.89 billion by 2026, and by harnessing the power of sustainable and ethical trading, new paradigms like Cocoa Horizons are stepping in to make a difference in how we perceive and interact with this cherished commodity.
Who owns Cocoa Horizons?

Cocoa Horizons is a non-profit organization, but its inception was spearheaded by a key entity within the global chocolate industry, Barry Callebaut. Barry Callebaut is a Swiss multinational corporation that operates in the food industry, specializing in manufacturing and trading of cocoa, chocolate, and confectionery products of exceptional quality. They are among the world’s largest cocoa producers and grinders, with an average annual production of more than 2 million metric tons. Barry Callebaut’s Cocoa Horizons was founded with the primary goal of ensuring sustainable farming and increasing prosperity for farmers and their communities.
What is Cocoa Horizons?

Cocoa Horizons is an impact-driven program committed to cocoa sustainability. Working directly with cocoa farming communities, it aims to understand the challenges faced by these communities and endeavours to facilitate solutions that encourage progress, sustainability, and holistic growth. The program aims to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers through providing training for better agricultural practices, fostering women’s empowerment, promoting child protection, and supporting community development projects.
What is the mission of Cocoa Horizons?
The mission of Cocoa Horizons is multifaceted, but fundamentally, it is centred around improving the welfare of cocoa farming communities and promoting sustainable farming. They are dedicated to fostering a holistic approach to cocoa production, starting with the farmers on the ground. Cocoa Horizons channels resources to cocoa farmer training, community wellbeing and resiliency, and greening and reducing ecological footprint, thereby promoting not only the welfare of these communities but also the sustainability of the environment on which cocoa cultivation depends.

The program strives to improve farmer profitability by reducing poverty through professional farming, increasing crop yield through better farming practices, and work towards reducing deforestation. In addition, Cocoa Horizons seeks to improve farmers’ access to education and healthcare services, promote gender equality, and fostering community resilience.
The approach reflects Cocoa Horizon’s belief in the importance of addressing the social, economic, and environmental aspects of cocoa farming. Their initiatives touch every facet of these farming communities, seeking not only to enhance the profitability and sustainability of cocoa production but also to uplift and support these communities as a whole.
Barry Callebaut’s Cocoa Horizons stands out as a beacon of change and innovation in the cocoa industry, challenging old norms, and forging new frontiers of ethical chocolate-making. Join us as we continue to explore their strides in our upcoming segments.
What other brands work with cocoa horizons?
Several renowned brands have chosen to align with the ethical and sustainable mission of Cocoa Horizons. These companies recognize the importance of investing in a sustainable future for chocolate, both for the environment and the cocoa farming communities. Their collaboration is crucial in driving the Cocoa Horizon’s mission forward.

Among them, one of the most notable is the global chocolate manufacturer, Barry Callebaut. The company is known for creating top-quality chocolate and, with the initiative of Barry Callebaut Cocoa Horizons, it is putting significant efforts into offering products that are not just delicious but also socially responsible and sustainable.
Barry Callebaut Cocoa Horizons is an innovative program aiming to rehabilitate cocoa farming as a successful profession, to provide young farmers with the necessary tools and skills to build prosperous farms, and improve the livelihoods of cocoa farming communities. It has been a significant source of sustainable cocoa for many brands around the world.
Another notable brand working with Cocoa Horizons is the Swiss chocolatier, Nestlé. It has committed to using only sustainably sourced chocolate for its KitKat brand in the US, using cocoa certified by the Cocoa Horizons Foundation.
Additionally, Unilever, one of the world’s leading suppliers of food, home, and personal care products, has joined hands with Cocoa Horizons to source cocoa for its Magnum ice cream brand in Europe.
Is cocoa Horizons reliable?
Reviews and feedback from various stakeholders provide credible proof of the reliability of Cocoa Horizons. Many world-renowned brands and organizations have collaborated with the program, speaking volumes about its credibility.
A key indicator of its reliability is the role of its parent company, Barry Callebaut, a reputed name in the global chocolate industry. Barry Callebaut Cocoa Horizons operates with transparency and traceability, which are central to its ethos. This transparency extends to the use of Cocoa Horizons premium funds, which are tracked and audited independently to ensure they directly benefit the farming communities.
The program also adds to its reliability through strict adherence to its promise of promoting sustainable cocoa production. It has been certified by several third-party entities, including UTZ, Rainforest Alliance, and Fairtrade – organizations known for their rigorous ethical and environmental requirements.
Environmental Conservation Efforts
Cocoa Horizons is making impressive strides in environmental conservation efforts. As part of its pledge to sustainable and responsible cocoa farming, the program puts a strong emphasis on minimizing the environmental impact of cocoa farming. It recognizes that preserving the environment is essential for the long-term viability of cocoa production.

Cocoa Horizons’ environmental conservation activities include implementing good agricultural practices aimed at preventing deforestation and preserving biodiversity. The program promotes the use of agroforestry systems, which integrate cocoa crops with other beneficial plants and trees. This approach not only increases farmers’ incomes but also helps to combat climate change by sequestering carbon in the soil and biomass.
Further, Cocoa Horizons promotes the use of more environmentally friendly farming methods, such as avoiding the use of harmful pesticides, optimizing the use of fertilizers, and managing waste effectively.
Through these efforts, Cocoa Horizons helps to protect the natural environment and ensure that cocoa farming can continue sustainably for generations to come.
Community Development Initiatives
At the heart of Cocoa Horizons is a commitment to sustainable practices and community development. This Switzerland-based initiative, run by the renowned chocolatier Barry Callebaut, aims to uplift cocoa farming communities and encourage environmentally friendly cocoa cultivation methods. The program focuses on farmer training, productivity, community well-being, health initiatives, and child labor prevention, making it much more than a Sustainability Certification Program.
Cocoa Horizons believes that improvement starts at the grassroots level. Farmers, who are the backbone of the chocolate industry, receive training to help them gain better yields from their cocoa crops, increasing their income and quality of life. The initiative also emphasizes gender equality, empowering women cocoa farmers through additional training and support.
Recognizing the importance of education, another key component of their community development initiative includes the construction of schools in cocoa-growing communities. In fact, to date, they have constructed more than 40 primary schools in Ivory Coast and Ghana alone.
Quality Assurance and Traceability
Beyond their admirable community outreach, Barry Callebaut ensures a top-notch product through rigorous quality assurance measures. Their cocoa beans are processed in facilities adhering to strict international quality standards. A blend of traditional know-how and technological innovation, their processing methods guarantee high-quality, consistent Cocoa Horizons chocolate production.
Moreover, they uphold a strong commitment to traceability, ensuring transparency from the bean to the bar. Customers can be assured that the cocoa they purchase is sourced ethically and sustainably. Detailed records of farming methods, cocoa bean origins, and production processes allow the Cocoa Horizons initiative to excel in traceability.
Future Goals and Vision of Cocoa Horizons
Moving forward, Cocoa Horizons aims to advance cocoa cultivation practices further. Their commitment to sustainability extends to tackling some of the most significant environmental issues. They have a bold commitment to sourcing 100% of their cocoa from sustainable sources by 2025 and are making impressive strides in achieving this ambitious target.
Their vision also extends to community development. Within this, there are specific goals: to foster self-sustaining farming communities that offer a better quality of life to their members; to ensure child labor prevention and to promote education, and finally, to bolster the role of women in cocoa farming.
Cocoa Horizons envisions a robust and sustainable cocoa sector, where farmers prosper, cocoa-growing communities are empowered, and the earth is healthy.
In conclusion, Barry Callebaut’s Cocoa Horizons is truly a new frontier in ethical chocolate. With both their community development initiatives and comprehensive quality assurance and traceability in place, they form an impressive commitment to both sustainability and ethics. Aspiring to continually contribute to environmental preservation and community resilience, Cocoa Horizons is rewriting the narrative of the chocolate industry, one cocoa bean at a time.