Raw materials
Responsibility in the area of sustainability is especially important when it comes to raw materials that are obtained from distant countries, such as cocoa. In large part, cocoa is grown on small farms in West Africa by farmers who have little access to modern agricultural knowledge and are dependent on local wholesale cocoa buyers who don’t always pay fair prices. As a result, these farmers often can’t make a good living from cultivating cocoa. This can lead to the clearing of rainforests for new cropland, the use of large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides, abusive child labor practices, and poor living conditions for women. We are dedicated to putting an end to these circumstances—including through knowledge transfer and better prices—so that farmers and their families can live well from growing cocoa.
Cocoa, in the form of chocolate, is an important ingredient of Edle Tropfen in Nuss. In sourcing our cocoa, as well as all the other raw materials we use, we pay special attention to excellent quality and social responsibility.
Our commitment in the area of cocoa
As a partner of cocoa commitment, the brand Edle Tropfen in Nuss works to promote sustainability in the cocoa sector.
Cocoa commitment is the solution-oriented sustainability program of the KRÜGER GROUP. It stands for fair trade along the entire cocoa value chain.
cocoa commitment—the program
Responsibly sourced cocoa
Cocoa is a precious raw material that passes through many hands and across multiple continents on its way from the farm to the finished product. Sustainability, in all its dimensions, is a central issue—with regard to the well-being of the cocoa farmers and their families, the preservation of biodiversity, and the protection of forests and the climate. The KRÜGER GROUP’s answer: cocoa commitment.
Effective solutions
With the cocoa commitment sustainability program, the brand Edle Tropfen in Nuss works to develop and implement effective solutions to the challenges of sustainability in cocoa farming.
Cocoa commitment looks at the entire cocoa value chain—from the living conditions of the farmers, to environmentally sound cultivation, to the end product. The entire journey is vertically integrated and completely traceable—from the farms to the cocoa-processing factory in Germany, where cocoa powder, cocoa butter, and cocoa mass are made from the cocoa beans (mass balance system). These and other ingredients are then used to make our enticing chocolates. The program builds on the established Rainforest Alliance standard, which it complements with additional measures.
Three pillars
Cocoa commitment rests on three pillars with mutually integrated measures.
- Increasing growers’ success: we are committed to promoting agroforestry, where knowledge and skills relating to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) ensure high yields in the long term, while reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers.
- Promoting environmental protection: we advocate environmentally sound cocoa farming and Climate Smart Cocoa, which uses locally adapted farming strategies to protect forests, increase biodiversity, and prevent deforestation. This is monitored in various ways, including cultivation mapping.
- Strengthening local communities: fair revenues from cocoa cultivation, the prevention of exploitative child labor through the Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation System in villages, and the creation of independent income opportunities for the wives of cocoa farmers through Village Savings and Loan Associations all have a positive impact on the income and living situation of entire villages and regions.
