*Organically grown or produced.<\/p>\n
(1) 100% of the total agricultural ingredients are Fair Trade certified according to the Fair for Life and FiABLE standards. More information at\u00a0fairforlife.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n May contains nuts and milk.<\/p>\n (2) The proportion of our origins may vary, depending on the harvest.<\/p>\n Store away from moisture and heat, between 15 and 18\u00b0C.<\/p>\n","detail":{"label":"","value":"0"}},{"title":"Tempering","active":false,"content":" Melting T\u00b0 : 50\u00b0C \u2013 55\u00b0C<\/p>\n Crystallisation T\u00b0 : 28\u00b0C \u2013 29\u00b0C<\/p>\n Using T\u00b0 : 31\u00b0C \u2013 32\u00b0C<\/p>\n","detail":{"label":"","value":"0"}}],"logos":[{"image":6319},{"image":6316},{"image":6318},{"image":1055}],"indications":[{"text":"no lecithins"},{"text":"no vanilla"}],"recipes":{"title":"NOS RECETTES PHARES","recipes":"","button":{"label":"","link":""}},"content_two_col-2":{"":null,"title":"","subtitle":"","content":"","text_position":"left","bg_active":false,"image":false,"btn_label":"En savoir plus","btn_link":""},"content_two_col-1":{"":null,"title":"","subtitle":"","content":"","text_position":"left","image":false,"btn_label":"en savoir plus","btn_link":""},"content_main":{"title":"THIS CHOCOLATE PROTECTS FORESTS","subtitle":"#STOP DEFORESTATION","content":" Did you know that cocoa could be responsible for deforestation? It\u2019s true, but not at Kaoka! Our direct link with the producers means we can control the full traceability of our cocoa and put in place effective solutions with them to guarantee you\u00a0deforestation-free cocoa<\/a>.<\/p>\n Kaoka chocolates are made with 100% cocoa from our programs: Ecuador, Sao Tom\u00e9, Peru and the Dominican Republic. This choice enables us to ensure that the cocoa we use is of the highest quality, grown with respect for the environment and biodiversity, and truly remunerative for our partner producers.<\/p>\n"},"cards":{"cards":[{"title":"5,547","bg_color":"light","content":" partner growers in 2022<\/p>\n","icon":"","image":false,"btn_label":"","btn_link":""},{"title":"428,699 trees","bg_color":"light","content":" produced and distributed to our producer partners as part of agroforestry and plantation renovation programmes between 2020 and 2022<\/p>\n","icon":"","image":false,"btn_label":"","btn_link":""},{"title":"691 ha","bg_color":"light","content":" of agroforestry plantations renovated between 2020 and 2022<\/p>\n","icon":"","image":false,"btn_label":"","btn_link":""}],"inline":false},"video":{"id":"MtmxrSU2F_0","btn_label":"Discover the Kaoka cooperatives","btn_link":"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/en\/our-organic-and-fair-trade-cocoa-programs\/","btn_style":"green"},"content_two_col":{"":null,"title":"OUR KNOW HOW","subtitle":"Quality and traceability","content":" Thanks to its integrated programs\u2019 model, Kaoka is present at all stages (from the selection of varieties to the preparation of chocolate recipes) to guarantee the highest quality chocolates with exemplary traceability.<\/p>\n","text_position":"left","bg_active":false,"image":6352,"btn_label":"en savoir plus","btn_link":""},"cover_image":{"title":"","display_button":false,"image":12637},"section_featured_products":{"title":"#OUR OTHER REFERENCES FOR YOUR PRODUCTS","products":[{"ID":14748,"post_author":"3","post_date":"2023-01-06 15:18:59","post_date_gmt":"2023-01-06 15:18:59","post_content":"","post_title":"Dark Chunks 60% - lecithin-free","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"dark-chunks-60-lecithin-free","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-05-06 08:42:36","post_modified_gmt":"2025-05-06 08:42:36","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/professionnels\/%products_type%\/chunks-noir-60-sans-lecithines\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"products_pro","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":8225,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-09-07 13:39:04","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-07 13:39:04","post_content":"","post_title":"Dark 61% - Blend","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"dark-61-blend","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-05-06 08:46:52","post_modified_gmt":"2025-05-06 08:46:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/professionnels\/%products_type%\/noir-61-assemblage\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"products_pro","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":8230,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-09-05 13:24:14","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-05 13:24:14","post_content":"","post_title":"Dark 58% - Blend","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"dark-58-blend","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-05-06 08:52:15","post_modified_gmt":"2025-05-06 08:52:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/professionnels\/%products_type%\/noir-58-assemblage\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"products_pro","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":8223,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-09-08 08:31:04","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-08 08:31:04","post_content":"","post_title":"Dark 64% - S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"draft","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"dark-64-sao-tome-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-08-29 09:52:56","post_modified_gmt":"2025-08-29 09:52:56","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/professionnels\/%products_type%\/noir-64-sao-tome-2\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"products_pro","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}]},"section_latest_news":{"title":"#The Latest news","news":[{"ID":14727,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2024-04-22 15:49:07","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-22 15:49:07","post_content":"You've probably heard about it: in recent months we've seen an unprecedented rise in the international price of cocoa. The price has set a series of all-time records, and it looks like it's not going to stop there. We're going to make a modest attempt to explain the issues surrounding this exceptional situation and its impact on the price of chocolate.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/foret-perou.jpg\")
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Cocoa prices soar ever higher<\/h2>\r\nWhy are we talking about the price of cocoa and what impact does it have on the price of chocolate? Like many commodities, the price of cocoa, and therefore chocolate, is indexed to stock market prices. This is the price at which cocoa beans are traded on international markets. This price is determined by world supply and demand for cocoa. It is affected by various economic, social and environmental factors, as well as by speculation on the financial markets.\r\n\r\n[memo title=\"\u00c0 noter\" text=\" African cocoa is traded on the basis of the London Stock Exchange price and Latin American cocoa on the basis of the New York Stock Exchange price.\"]\r\n\r\n
![\"Graphic](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Cocoa-prices-new-york-stock-exchange.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nThe last record was set in 1977, when the price was $5,300\/tonne. It was beaten in February 2024. Barely two months later, and defying all projections, the price of cocoa doubled to $10,600 a tonne (15 April 2024). The following week, it reached $11,479. In one year, the price of cocoa has risen by 268%.\r\n\r\nWe are therefore witnessing an absolutely exceptional situation that has never been seen before in the history of chocolate.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
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Why are cocoa prices rising so much?<\/h3>\r\n \r\n\r\nVarious factors can explain the spectacular rise in the price of cocoa: an imbalance between supply and demand, a fall in world stocks and, consequently, a speculative trend exaggerating the phenomenon.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nSo why this imbalance between supply and demand? Demand for cocoa and chocolate, which comes mainly from Europe and North America, is relatively stable, if not rising slightly. However, in recent years, cocoa production has been falling and is now below demand (cocoa\/chocolate consumption), resulting in a 3rd consecutive year of deficit. In 2024, this gap between supply and demand is expected to reach a volume of 423,000 tonnes of cocoa (i.e. around 8% of usual world production). So it looks like there won't be enough for everyone!\r\n\r\n
![\"Graphic](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Evolution-cocoa-production-demand.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nUntil now, this raw materials deficit has been offset by existing stocks. However, this 3rd year of deficit has led to a significant fall in world stocks.<\/strong> These stocks are necessary for the smooth running of production in the chocolate industry. And it is this fall in stocks that is tending to panic the financial markets.\r\n\r\n![\"Graphic](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Evolution-world-cocoa-stocks.jpg\")
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Why is global cocoa production falling?<\/h3>\r\n \r\n\r\nThere has been one poor harvest year after another, with the 2023\/2024 season being the most significant (a season runs from 1 October to 30 September of the following year). C\u00f4te d'Ivoire and Ghana account for around 60% of the world's cocoa production. Harvests are expected to fall by 20% in C\u00f4te d'Ivoire and 30% in Ghana.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Evolution-of-cocoa-production-by-country-between-2020-and-2024.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nThe El Ni\u00f1o phenomenon (still ongoing) coupled with global warming has had a major impact on Africa.<\/strong> In July 2023, C\u00f4te d'Ivoire experienced very heavy rainfall. In some regions, the rainfall recorded since the beginning of 2023 was higher than the average for the last 30 years. This rain has caused flowers to drop as soon as they have formed, and fungal diseases such as moniliosis and brown rot to develop strongly. It is important to note that in some areas, plantations had already been weakened for several years by a viral disease, swollen shoot (a highly contagious disease transmitted by mealybugs).\r\n\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Cocoa-harvest-season-1200x823.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nThis was compounded by a long period of drought.<\/strong> Cocoa trees need water to grow and produce their fruit. In most cocoa-producing countries, cocoa is grown on a pioneering front: forests (often already degraded by other industries) are cut down to plant new crops. This slash-and-burn agriculture, which tends to degrade the soil, is a form of extensive farming. Once the soil is too degraded and has a negative impact on yields, the crop is planted on new cleared land, and so on. Cocoa is therefore mainly grown as a monoculture without any shade, making the cocoa trees even more vulnerable to drought and disease.\r\n\r\nThe combined effect of this method of cultivation, disease and weather conditions has therefore severely affected cocoa harvests for the 2023\/2024 season.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\nWill cocoa prices continue to rise or eventually fall?<\/h3>\r\n \r\n\r\nThe economic and financial ecosystem surrounding cocoa is complex, which is why no one is currently in a position to predict whether the price of cocoa will continue to rise, stabilise at this level or fall and stabilise at a higher level than before.\r\n\r\nThis will depend on cocoa production and therefore on weather conditions. In many cocoa-producing countries in West Africa and South America, temperatures are abnormally high. After a particularly hot February and March, the northern part of the African continent has been hit by record heat waves.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Anomalies-temperature-vagues-chaleur-afrique.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nIf human living conditions have deteriorated considerably, so too have those of the trees, which are enduring severe water stress, impacting their productive capacity. This situation is likely to persist over the coming months.<\/strong> Although it is still too early to draw up a trend for the 2024\/2025 harvest, current weather conditions are not encouraging.\r\n\r\nHowever, given the rise in chocolate prices, it is highly likely that sales volumes will fall significantly. Following this fall in demand, the market is likely to rebalance. Only time will tell...\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Feves-cacao-recolte-equateur.jpg\")
<\/h2>\r\nIs this situation of rising cocoa prices profitable for producers?<\/h2>\r\nGenerally speaking, producers of raw materials whose prices are indexed to stock market prices are dependent on price volatility. They are paid according to world prices, are subject to the effects of speculation and are exposed to variations that are independent of their agricultural realities. Producers are located in very different countries, sometimes far apart, so they do not share the same economic, political or climatic context.\r\n\r\n[memo title=\"Stock market price vs. price paid to the producer\" text=\"The stock market price does not represent the price received by the producer for his cocoa. The price corresponds to the price at which cocoa is traded internationally by exporters, wholesalers and traders. As a result, the situation for producers is highly variable and depends on how the sector is structured in each country.\"]\r\n\r\n \r\n
Producers in C\u00f4te d'Ivoire and Ghana not benefiting from higher prices<\/h3>\r\n \r\n\r\nIn C\u00f4te d'Ivoire and Ghana, the world's leading cocoa producers, prices are administered,<\/strong> i.e. they are regulated to protect cocoa farmers and the country's economy. Cocoa accounts for 14% of national GDP and provides an income for 20% of the Ivorian population. To protect farmers from fluctuations in world prices, a fund has been set up to absorb them and offer farmers a stable price over the year. Each year, a minimum purchase price is set on 1 October for the duration of the season.<\/strong> Intermediaries are required to respect at least this price when they buy cocoa \"in the field\" from producers.\r\n\r\nIn C\u00f4te d'Ivoire, the floor price was set at the start of the 2023\/2024 season at 1,000 CFA francs per kilo (\u20ac1.52 per kilo, or \u20ac1,520 per tonne). Faced with soaring prices and union demands, the authorities were forced to raise the price to 1,500 CFA francs (\u20ac2.30 per kilo, or \u20ac2,300 per tonne) from 02 April 2024.\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Average-cocoa-prices-minimum-price-cote-d-ivoire.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nWhile cocoa prices are rising above $10,000\/tonne (\u20ac9,400\/tonne), Ivorian cocoa farmers are not currently benefiting from this increase. Especially since, as we saw earlier, even if they are benefiting from a better price than at the start of the campaign, their harvests have fallen considerably. This price increase is far from sufficient to compensate for the current drop in volume. The families of producers in both C\u00f4te d'Ivoire and Ghana are facing very difficult times.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nEven against this backdrop of rising raw material prices, Fair Trade remains essential to support producers.\r\nCocoa producers in South America benefit from higher prices<\/h3>\r\n \r\n\r\nIn South American countries, markets have been liberalised. Producers are more attentive, and in this context of lack of supply, increases are better reflected in purchase prices.\r\n\r\nIn Ecuador, for example, purchase prices from producers are currently almost equivalent to the stock market price.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\nHow are producer cooperatives coping with this rise in cocoa prices?<\/h3>\r\n \r\n\r\nThe current situation is particularly complicated for cooperatives. Faced with soaring prices, cooperatives need to have the cash flow they need to buy cocoa from their producer members. With cocoa beans being bought at a price 3 to 4 times higher than before, cash requirements are particularly high.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nWhat's more, the shortage of raw materials on the market is making the buying practices of local intermediaries more aggressive. It is therefore difficult for cooperatives, which have to bear the costs of certification, traceability, development projects, etc., to remain competitive and continue to source cocoa.\r\n\r\nThis situation could put many cooperatives at risk. That's why it's vital to provide support for the chocolate industry.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
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Rising cocoa prices and the climate: what's the situation in the Kaoka cocoa programs?<\/h2>\r\nAt Kaoka, we have chosen to work with a limited number of origins. We felt that building sustainable fair trade supply chains required a high level of commitment in terms of human time and financial resources. At Kaoka, we have therefore decided to prioritise quality over the quantity of origins on offer.<\/strong> In this way, we can respond with dedicated projects to each of the issues present in our supply chains (ageing plantations, lack of soil fertility, etc.).\r\n\r\nTo offer you top quality cocoa, we have high standards and, in return, we provide very strong guarantees to producer organisations:\r\n
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Kaoka pre-finances 100% of cocoa harvests to support its partner producer organizations.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nWhat does this mean? Until recently, when cocoa prices were relatively stable, Kaoka was able to plan the development of its supply chains in line with its commercial outlets. Over the last few months, the purchase prices of cocoa from our production chains have risen considerably, and even though we are seeing a drop in production volumes, the cash flow requirements to pre-finance the harvests are becoming more and more substantial.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Cacao-nacional-equateur-commerce-equitable.jpg\")
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In our cocoa program in Ecuador: cocoa production impacted by El Ni\u00f1o and aggressive competition<\/h3>\r\nAs a result of the El Ni\u00f1o phenomenon, Ecuador, which shares its west coast with the Pacific, has suffered heavy rainfall, affecting its harvests. The buying practices of intermediaries are very aggressive, and follow cocoa prices almost instantaneously. The extreme volatility of cocoa prices on any given day complicates the purchasing conditions for our partner cooperative. Over the course of a single day, the price can vary by as much as $1,000, which is quite considerable. As with every problem we have encountered, we have worked with our partner cooperative to find solutions and provide it with the tools it needs to be reactive and competitive in the face of local intermediaries.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThanks to this support, producers will be able to benefit from the best prices and we'll be helping our partner cooperative to get through this unprecedented period. As for Kaoka, we will be able to continue to supply ourselves with Ecuadorian cocoa to make all our chocolates from Ecuador.\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Recolte-cacao-perou-commerce-equitable.jpg\")
\r\nIn our cocoa program in Peru: a promising harvest<\/h3>\r\nOur cocoa program in Peru, located in the Amazon region on the other side of the Andes, has been less affected by El Ni\u00f1o. However, it is important to note that the growers in our Peruvian cooperative have experienced very hot weather in recent months, accompanied by an unusual lack of rain. We are seeing recurring periods of severe drought in the Amazon. The lack of rain could ultimately have a negative impact on cocoa harvests.\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Recolte-cacao-sao-tome-commerce-equitable.jpg\")
\r\nIn our cocoa program in S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9: the season has not yet started<\/h3>\r\nLike West Africa, S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9, which lies off the coast of Gabon, is suffering from very hot weather. While the small harvest has proved satisfactory, it is still too early to say anything about the large harvest (which runs from October to December, as in C\u00f4te d'Ivoire).\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
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Rising prices: an opportunity for Kaoka's partner producers<\/h3>\r\n \r\n\r\nWorking as closely as possible with the cooperatives, Kaoka's partner producers are benefiting positively from this rise in prices. Thanks to this surplus, they will be able to invest more in the redensification of their plantations<\/strong> (planting more cocoa trees in the empty spaces) and in the renovation of their plantations<\/strong> (grafting their ageing trees that have become unproductive). With this increase, growing cocoa will become even more attractive.\r\n\r\nWe are encouraging them to prepare themselves as well as possible for possible future heatwaves, in particular through agroforestry.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Agroforestry-stratum-cocoa-cultivation.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nIn the Kaoka cocoa programs, we support fruitful and remunerative peasant farming based on sustainable and efficient methods. Over the last 20 years or so, we have carried out extensive renovation and training programmes to enable producers to improve their harvests and thus their incomes. <\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Chocolat-en-tablettes-augmentation-prix.jpg\")
<\/h2>\r\nWill chocolate makers and other manufacturers find it difficult to source cocoa and chocolate?<\/h2>\r\nAs we mentioned earlier, the shortfall is likely to be 423,000 t of cocoa, and stocks are getting lower and lower. It is therefore logical to think that some operators will be unable or unwilling to obtain normal supplies because the cost of the raw material is too high.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nAnother point to note: at the end of 2024, the European regulation against imported deforestation is due to come into force. As players will have to prove that their goods are deforestation-free, this new regulatory constraint could put the brakes on some imports into the European Union.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
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Chocolate prices: increases and variations between brands<\/h2>\r\n
Why haven't chocolate prices gone up yet? Will the price of chocolate go up soon?<\/h3>\r\nFor some months now, you've been hearing about spectacular rises in the price of cocoa, but you haven't seen any increases in the shops. Chocolate is a processed product that requires a number of stages from the raw material. Several months go by between harvesting, post-harvest processing (fermentation and drying), export, storage, processing, chocolate making and then putting it on the shelves.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Course-cocoa-harvest-chocolate-processing.jpg\")
\r\n\r\n \r\nWhile the rise in the price of chocolate seems inevitable, different criteria and practices can explain the time lag in price adjustments made by brands.<\/h4>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n
VARIABLE STOCK LEVELS OF RAW MATERIALS AND FINISHED PRODUCTS<\/h4>\r\n \r\n\r\nThe chocolates that have been on shop shelves up until now have been made from cocoa that was generally bought at the price before the hikes (i.e. around $2,000\/tonne). However, stocks of raw materials and finished products will start to run out in the coming months. The chocolates that are soon to hit the market will be made with ingredients whose cost has risen by an average of 143%<\/strong> since October 2023. Companies in the chocolate sector will eventually be forced to pass on these rising costs in order to maintain their business model.\r\n\r\n \r\n
HEDGING MECHANISMS: RETREAT BEFORE LEAPING?<\/h4>\r\n \r\n\r\nTo protect themselves from stock market fluctuations, some players sign forward contracts with a fixed price for their supplies. This means that they commit to buying a set volume at a set price over a set period. If the stock market fluctuates downwards, they lose out: they buy a raw material at a higher price than the market price. If the stock market rises, they are 'winners': they buy a raw material at a lower price than the market price. In general, these contracts run from a few months to a year. Those who have hedged for a year will be able to 'hold out' longer than other players who have not hedged or who have hedged for a shorter period.\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Hedging-system-cocoa-price.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nThese players, who are covered for 2024, are hoping that the price level will return to 'normal' by September (the start of the period for budget definitions). This is a risky gamble, because if the price remains at this level, the increase they will have to apply will be much greater.\r\n\r\nThis Monopoly-like system is likely to penalise many companies, particularly those with cocoa program commitments.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\nDIFFERENT MARGIN POLICIES<\/h4>\r\nDepending on their margin policies to date, some chocolate brands will be better able to absorb cost increases than others. Brands with a high-end positioning generally operate with a high gross margin and are better able to limit increases when they occur.\r\n\r\nWhen Kaoka was created, its founder Andr\u00e9 Deberdt wanted to make his chocolate accessible to as many people as possible. As a result, we have always operated with limited margins. We are therefore more sensitive to increases in the cost of raw materials.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nMulti-product brands, i.e. brands that offer products in different categories (chocolates, teas, biscuits, plant-based milks, yoghurts, etc.), can choose to offset this increase by spreading it across products that benefit from more comfortable margins. The increase in the price of various products is diluted in the eyes of the consumer and the brand maintains its margin percentage.\r\n\r\nSpecialist brands cannot use this mechanism and are more exposed if the price of their main raw material rises.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThese different mechanisms do not reflect the economic reality of the market and create distortions in consumer perception.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\nWhy are Kaoka chocolates going up?<\/h3>\r\n \r\n\r\nAt Kaoka, we don't operate like most chocolate companies. We have strong commitments to producer organisations. At Kaoka, we buy cocoa continuously throughout the year from our partner cooperatives. When one of our partner producers arrives with his fresh cocoa, we buy 100% from him, regardless of the price level. As a result, we are directly impacted by stock market rises.\r\n\r\nThis is our vision of fair trade and we accept the circumstances. Because our commitments are constant and we operate on a reasonable margin, we are forced to pass on cocoa price rises and increase the price of our chocolates.\r\n\r\nThe increase in our prices is proof that our producer partners are benefiting from this exceptional situation and that their cocoa is being bought at the best price.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIn conclusion, this increase in chocolate prices will vary from one brand to another, depending on existing stocks, coverage levels, commitments to producer cooperatives and margin policies.\r\n\r\nIt would be useful to look at the real practices of players who do not increase the price of their chocolate, or do so only slightly.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\nWhat practices can we expect to see to bring down the price of chocolate?<\/h3>\r\nTo cope with this exceptional increase in the cost of raw materials and avoid the price being too high, certain practices are emerging.\r\n\r\n \r\n
SHRINKFLATION<\/h4>\r\nThis practice has already been criticised by consumer associations for its lack of transparency: \"shrinkflation\", which consists of discreetly reducing the weight of products without reducing the price or even increasing it slightly.\r\n\r\nA bar of chocolate traditionally weighs 100g. To reduce the cost of the bar, many brands do not hesitate to reduce the weight of the product to 80g, for example. This is why we encourage consumers to always compare the price per kilo to help them make their choice on the shelf.\r\n\r\n \r\n
REPLACING COCOA BUTTER<\/h4>\r\nAnother practice would be to replace some of the particularly expensive cocoa butter with another less expensive vegetable fat (shea, palm, etc). According to the regulations, the vegetable fats authorised for use in chocolate production are: illipe, palm oil, sal, shea, kogum gurgi and mango kernels. The content of these vegetable fats must not exceed 5% of the weight of the chocolate.\r\n\r\n \r\n
LOWERING THE COCOA CONTENT AND INCREASING THE SUGAR CONTENT<\/h4>\r\nAnother method would be to lower the percentage of cocoa in chocolate. This would mean increasing the sugar content and therefore reducing the nutritional quality of the products.\r\n\r\n[memo title=\"Worth noting\" text=\"Milk chocolate naturally contains less cocoa, but its price is often higher than that of dark chocolate because the VAT rates applied are different. Milk chocolate is taxed at 20% whereas dark chocolate is taxed at 5%.\"]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAt Kaoka, we continue to guarantee the highest quality for our chocolates, with an authentic taste thanks to traced cocoa, zero deforestation and fair remuneration for producers.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\nWe need to support the farming world to make chocolate a permanent part of our lives<\/h2>\r\nThis unprecedented surge in cocoa prices should be a wake-up call to the consequences of climate change. It reminds us that our food depends on weather conditions and that our economy is based on physical elements. In a context of disrupted climatic events, shortages could recur and intensify. These shortages lead to sharp price rises, making certain foodstuffs inaccessible to economically vulnerable populations.\r\n
The end of Ivorian cocoa supremacy?<\/h3>\r\n \r\n\r\nAs in many cocoa-producing countries, cocoa farming in C\u00f4te d'Ivoire was built on a foundation of deforestation. Since the 1970s, in response to the growing demand for chocolate in Western countries, this phenomenon has intensified. Today, the Ivorian forest reserve is coming to an end. Deforestation, intensive monoculture cultivation without shade and excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers have left a legacy of degraded land and ageing plantations weakened by disease. This situation could suggest that supply from C\u00f4te d'Ivoire will stabilise and then decline.\r\n\r\nHowever, it is important to note that some private players in the chocolate sector have taken up this issue and for several years have been leading initiatives to create more sustainable cocoa programs in C\u00f4te d'Ivoire. This support is vital if we are to meet the challenges we face and ensure that cocoa production continues over the long term.\r\n\r\nAlso, diversification of origins seems to be a more favourable way of stabilising the market. Indeed, concentrating production of a raw material in a single geographical area clearly reveals its limits under unfavourable climatic conditions. This leaves an opportunity for other producing countries to respond to market demand. Under what conditions will the supply response take place? Let's hope it happens in conditions that respect the environment and people.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n<\/h3>\r\n
Faced with climate change, Kaoka provides practical solutions for producer organisations<\/h3>\r\n \r\n
A COLLECTION OF COCOAS TO MEET THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE<\/h4>\r\n \r\n\r\nThe plantation renovation work undertaken by Kaoka over many years is based on the selection of cocoa varieties. The Kaoka team is present in the field to witness the changes caused by climate change and their impact on cocoa growing. We take this issue seriously, as it could have a major impact on the sustainability of the cocoa program.\r\n\r\nWith the help of our grower partners, we have built up a collection of around one hundred 'elite' cocoa trees. The cocoa trees have been selected for their characteristics: their productive capacity, their resistance to disease and their aromatic potential. Each of these cocoa trees is adapted to one or more specific production zones in our cocoa programs.\r\n\r\nIn recent years, we have added new criteria to adapt to the problems of certain production areas. We are interested in the cocoa trees that are most resistant to drought. As explained above, many areas are now subject to very hot weather leading to drought, which is unfavourable to the development of cocoa trees and causes yield reductions.\r\n\r\nIn the face of heavy rainfall, greater resistance to fungal diseases is also a key criterion.\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Lutter-contre-deforestation-culture-cacao.jpg\")
\r\n\r\n \r\nCOMBAT DEFORESTATION TO SLOW THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE<\/h4>\r\n \r\n\r\nWe can never say it often enough: the consequences of deforestation have serious repercussions for our environment. Major forest losses are accelerating climate change.\r\n\r\nIt is vital to put a stop to this phenomenon and to provide serious support to producers in their efforts to make their crops more permanent. This means stopping expansion into forested areas by capitalising on land that is already being farmed. At Kaoka, we provide support to producers to improve soil fertility so that they can continue to grow crops. We provide our grower partners with training in agronomic practices such as pruning and grafting, which are invaluable tools for increasing production on the same plot. We encourage producer organisations to diversify their crops in order to improve the resilience of their farming systems and, consequently, their income.\r\n\r\nThis transmission of know-how and the involvement of communities are essential to ensure the success of this agricultural revolution.\r\n\r\nTo complement this approach and to guarantee that our cocoa is not responsible for deforestation, we have put in place a demanding set of standards jointly developed with producer organisations, as well as tools for monitoring landscape changes in our cocoa programs.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n<\/h3>\r\nA pleasure product, chocolate is not considered to be an essential foodstuff (even if the question deserves to be opened up for debate...) and yet it is omnipresent in our daily lives (biscuits, cereals, pains au chocolat, yoghurt, etc). Without really realising it, chocolate has become deeply rooted in Western culture and associated with many traditions and festivals (Easter, Christmas, Valentine's Day). In France, for example, we consume an average of over 13 kg of chocolate per household per year.\r\n\r\nThis crisis could be an opportunity to shine a spotlight on this precious raw material and those who grow it far from the countries that consume the most. Planters, growers, farmers and producers are on the front line when it comes to the effects of climate change. It's vital that we support them at every level (exporter, processor, wholesaler, distributor, consumer).<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\nSources<\/strong>\r\n\r\nLa Story | Pourquoi le cacao flambe - 28 mars 2024<\/em>\r\n\r\nForestero | Revue hebdomadaire<\/em>\r\n\r\nCIRAD - https:\/\/barco.cirad.fr\/projet\/swollen-shoot<\/em>\r\n\r\nLe Monde | En C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, la hausse des cours du cacao ne profite pas aux planteurs - 12 septembre 2023<\/em>\r\n\r\nLe Monde | Cacao en C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire : face \u00e0 la flamb\u00e9e des cours, les autorit\u00e9s font un geste en direction des planteurs - 03 avril 2024<\/em>\r\n\r\nWorld Weather Attribution | Extreme Sahel heatwave that hit highly vulnerable population at the end of Ramadan would not have occurred without climate change - 18 avril 2024<\/em>\r\n\r\nIFPRI | Global cocoa market sees steep price rise amid supply shortfall - 1 avril 2024<\/em>","post_title":"Chocolate rush: world cocoa prices soar, the price of chocolate is set to rise","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"chocolate-rush-world-cocoa-prices-soar-the-price-of-chocolate-is-set-to-rise","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-13 13:30:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-13 13:30:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/lactualite-de-kaoka\/ruee-vers-le-chocolat-les-cours-mondiaux-du-cacao-explosent-le-prix-du-chocolat-va-augmenter\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":14197,"post_author":"3","post_date":"2023-11-29 11:22:58","post_date_gmt":"2023-11-29 11:22:58","post_content":"Today, forest preservation remains one of the most effective levers in the fight against climate change. As an early advocate of environmental issues, Kaoka has been working for several years against deforestation<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \t
\r\n\r\nWhy can cocoa be a source of deforestation ?<\/h2>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/le-cacao-responsable-deforestation.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nFirst of all, a little background: how can chocolate be a vector for deforestation?\r\n\r\nThe main causes of deforestation are mining, agriculture and forestry. Worldwide, livestock and agricultural production are responsible for around 80% of deforestation.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nLike soya and palm oil, cocoa has been clearly identified as contributing to deforestation. And remember, cocoa is one of the main ingredients in chocolate<\/a>.\r\n\r\nCocoa is affected by deforestation because it is grown in tropical areas and in countries where the forests were, until now, little protected. At the same time, the growing demand for chocolate in Western countries has encouraged the felling of forest plots for cocoa plantations.\r\n\r\nIt is estimated that the development of cocoa farming has led to the deforestation of around 2.5 million hectares<\/strong> since the early 1990s, in the 4 main cocoa-producing countries: C\u00f4te d'Ivoire, Ghana, Indonesia and Nigeria.\r\n\r\nSource: Cocoa certification and the fight against deforestation - CIRAD February 2021<\/em>\r\nCocoa and pioneer fronts<\/h2>\r\nLike many other crops, cocoa farming has developed along pioneering front lines.\r\n\r\n
![\"Diagram](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/schema-front-pionnier-cacao.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nThis phenomenon of pioneering conquest of tropical forests is unfortunately exacerbated by the falling productivity of existing plantations and the resulting low remuneration of growers.\r\n\r\nThis is a vicious circle, because once the forest is felled, the soil on this bare land rapidly becomes impoverished. The soil is a reserve of resources and nutrients that is essential for trees and their development. In poor soil, the trees health and growing are impacted and the plantation becomes less productive. Without sufficient harvests, growers are forced to extend their cultivation areas into forested areas. And so on, the forest is degraded or felled until it disappears completely.\r\nThe introduction of a European regulation<\/h2>\r\nFaced with the challenge of preserving forests in the fight against climate change, the European Union has adopted a new regulatory text<\/a> which, from January 2025, will ban the sale on the European market of products (cocoa, coffee, palm, wood, beef, soya, rubber) which have caused the deforestation of forests after 31 December 2020.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\nKaoka, the chocolate truly committed against deforestation<\/h2>\r\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/cacaoyer-producteurs-de-dos-perou.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nAt Kaoka, we've been taking the issue of deforestation very seriously for many years.\r\n\r\nWe know that behind the phenomenon of deforestation lies an economic necessity: the forests are cut down to enable people to grow crops and thus earn a living.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThanks to our integrated cocoa supply chain structure<\/a>, our proximity to producers means that we are aware of the problems in producing countries much more quickly and much earlier. What sets us apart is the strong link we have with producer cooperatives. We have been working exclusively with them for over 20 years. By integrating the cocoa programs into the heart of our company strategy, we are able to work together daily and set up long-term projects alongside them.\r\n\r\nWe are convinced that it is essential to support producers in sustaining their plantations and harvests in order to combat deforestation.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nAware of the importance of producer income, our support includes a number of strong guarantees:\r\n\r\n \t
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/garanties-kaoka-contre-la-deforestation-v2.jpg\")
For 30 years, Kaoka has supported growers with strong guarantees.[\/caption]\r\nAn 8.97 million euro project for zero deforestation cocoa<\/h2>\r\nIn parallel with this global support, Kaoka is carrying out other projects to introduce sustainable cocoa-growing methods to preserve biodiversity.\r\n\r\nIn 2021, we signed a public-private partnership for the conservation and regeneration of ecosystems, the protection of biodiversity and the promotion of truly sustainable agricultural practices within cocoa sectors in Peru, Colombia and Ecuador.\r\n\r\n
![\"3](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Projet-agroecological-regenerative-cocoa.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nWith the support of the French Global Environment Facility and agroecology research bodies, Kaoka aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of its agroforestry cultivation model and its ability to be replicated.\r\n\r\n \u27a4 For more information on the 8,97M\u20ac project for a zero deforestation cocoa.<\/a>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\nHow does Kaoka ensure that its cocoa chains are not responsible for deforestation?<\/h2>\r\nTo guarantee that the cocoa in our chocolates is not responsible for deforestation<\/strong>, Kaoka has drawn up a stringent set of standards. Of course, these standards have been co-constructed with our producer organisations partners<\/strong>, with the support of agro-ecology research bodies. This document constitutes a system of guarantees which enables us to control various points throughout the cocoa production chain.\r\n
\r\n \t
Controlling traceability<\/h3>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nGathering information is a prerequisite for implementing a \"zero deforestation\" approach. In our integrated cocoa programs, all our producer partners are clearly identified. This identification is essential for the steps that follow.\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Cartographie-chaine-approvisionnement-chocolat-1200x310.png\")
\r\n\r\n \t
Risk analysis<\/h3>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nEach country or production area has a different context, with its own cultivation practices. At Kaoka, with the support of agroecology researchers, we have studied the risks in all the areas in which we operate.\r\n
\r\n \t
An essential tool: satellite images<\/h3>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nTo ensure that plantations do not expand to the detriment of forest areas, we have chosen to use satellite images<\/strong>.\r\n\r\nFirst of all, the perimeters of the edges of our grower partners' plots were delimited by GPS points and digitised.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_13087\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1200\"]
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/actions-projets-pour-garantir-cacao-zero-deforestation-1200x534.jpg\")
How Kaoka ensures that cocoa plantations do not encroach on forests[\/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThis information is then superimposed on satellite images highlighting forest areas. By analysing these images over time, we can check that plantations are not expanding at the expense of rainforests.\r\n\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Geolocalisation-parcelles-plantation-producteurs-cacao.jpg\")
\r\n\r\n \t
Implementation of mitigation measures<\/h3>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThe small producers, we work with, own their land, whether agricultural or forestry. They therefore have the right to develop them as they see fit, in compliance with the local regulations in force, of course. That's why raising awareness and training producers are at the heart of our 'zero deforestation' approach.\r\n\r\nThanks to agro-ecology researchers, we have been able to define the priority areas for conservation. Our ambition is to sign conservation agreements with producers. We are currently working on the offsets to these agreements. The aim of these management plans is to protect and enhance local forests while limiting the expansion of agricultural land.\r\n\r\nOur projects to support agroforestry, restore soil fertility and clear deforested areas are other ways of ensuring that cocoa is grown in a way that preserves the forest.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_13705\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1200\"]
The wealth of the Peruvian forest[\/caption]\r\n\r\n \t
A conscious decision to reject mass balance in favour of segregated production<\/h3>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAll Kaoka\u00ae chocolates are made in a segregated process<\/a>: in other words, our fair trade ingredients are 100% physically traceable and are not mixed with non-fair trade cocoa. This gives our customers and consumers the guarantee that the cocoa in their Kaoka bars is not contributing to deforestation.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nWe hope this article has enabled you to find out a little more about the deforestation linked to cocoa production and the various actions taken by Kaoka to ensure that our chocolate is not responsible for deforestation. We can only encourage you to be vigilant with regard to the information communicated by brands on this subject.\r\n\r\nWe would be delighted to answer any questions you may have. You can contact us using our contact form<\/a>.","post_title":"Kaoka truly committed against deforestation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"kaoka-truly-committed-against-deforestation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 14:44:09","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 14:44:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/lactualite-de-kaoka\/kaoka-truly-committed-against-deforestation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":9158,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2022-04-27 08:07:41","post_date_gmt":"2022-04-27 08:07:41","post_content":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Vrai-faux-cacao-chocolat-bio-kaoka-1200x556.jpg\")
<\/h3>\r\nUn chocolat bio, est-ce que c\u2019est meilleur en go\u00fbt ?<\/h3>\r\nIl ne faut pas tout confondre ! Un label bio garantit une culture sans produits chimiques de synth\u00e8se, et pr\u00e9serve l\u2019environnement, les sols et la biodiversit\u00e9. Il est donc meilleur pour la sant\u00e9 de la plan\u00e8te et des hommes.<\/strong> Pour Kaoka, un cacao bio ne donne pas forc\u00e9ment un bon chocolat ! Pour fabriquer un chocolat de qualit\u00e9, cela n\u00e9cessite un vrai savoir-faire.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n1. La s\u00e9lection des terroirs et des vari\u00e9t\u00e9s de cacao cultiv\u00e9es<\/strong>\r\n\r\nKaoka travaille en partenariat avec des producteurs qui cultivent des vari\u00e9t\u00e9s traditionnelles, \u00e0 haut potentiel aromatique. Par exemple en \u00c9quateur, Kaoka a mis en place un important projet de sauvegarde du cacao Nacional, une vari\u00e9t\u00e9 d\u2019exception end\u00e9mique, qui se distingue pour ses qualit\u00e9s aromatiques uniques et qui \u00e9tait alors menac\u00e9e.\r\n\r\n2. La ma\u00eetrise de la fermentation (comme pour le vin) et du s\u00e9chage<\/strong>\r\n\r\nDepuis la r\u00e9colte jusqu'\u00e0 l'exportation, Kaoka a tout organis\u00e9 pour le cacao soit valoris\u00e9 dans les meilleures conditions. La fermentation est une \u00e9tape cruciale dans le d\u00e9veloppement des ar\u00f4mes du cacao. Kaoka a \u00e9tabli un protocole pr\u00e9cis pour obtenir les meilleurs ar\u00f4mes possibles.\r\n\r\n3. La recette<\/strong>\r\n\r\nKaoka a fait le choix de valoriser les ar\u00f4mes naturels du cacao avec des recettes riches en p\u00e2tes de cacao. Le beurre de cacao n'est ajout\u00e9 que pour ajouter une touche de fondant sans risquer de voiler le palais. Le sucre est justement dos\u00e9.\r\n\r\nKaoka a choisi de construire ses propres fili\u00e8res et de travailler en direct avec les producteurs pour ma\u00eetriser chacune de ces \u00e9tapes et ne rien laisser au hasard.\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/chocolat-bio-equitable-pause-gouter.jpg\")
\r\nUn chocolat bio est-il forc\u00e9ment \u00e9quitable ?<\/h3>\r\nDans un monde id\u00e9al, la r\u00e9ponse devrait \u00eatre oui ! Prendre soin de l'environnement sans prendre soin des hommes et des femmes qui cultivent le cacao, a-t-il vraiment du sens?\r\n\r\nPour Kaoka, l'un ne va pas sans l'autre. Pour Kaoka, le choix de la bio s\u2019inscrit dans une d\u00e9marche vertueuse pour tous : une agriculture respectueuse de l\u2019environnement, une agriculture r\u00e9mun\u00e9ratrice pour le producteur et des produits \u00e9thiques de qualit\u00e9 pour les consommateurs. Forte de ses 30 ans d\u2019exp\u00e9rience, l'entreprise a prouv\u00e9 qu'il \u00e9tait possible de b\u00e2tir un mod\u00e8le durable tant pour la plan\u00e8te que pour les hommes.\r\n\r\nEn s'appuyant sur l'\u00e9change et sur des relations fid\u00e8les et durables avec les cacaoculteurs, Kaoka a repens\u00e9 le mod\u00e8le agricole en proposant des solutions agronomiques pertinentes aux cacaoculteurs. Les projets mis en place depuis de nombreuses ann\u00e9es permettent une am\u00e9lioration des rendements, b\u00e9n\u00e9fique tant pour les producteurs que pour Kaoka. Coupl\u00e9e \u00e0 un prix sup\u00e9rieur \u00e0 celui du march\u00e9, leurs producteurs partenaires voient leurs revenus s'am\u00e9liorer d'ann\u00e9e en ann\u00e9e.\r\n\r\nC'est cette vision du commerce \u00e9quitable que Kaoka d\u00e9fend et qui permet de r\u00e9duire les in\u00e9galit\u00e9s sociales et les impacts environnementaux n\u00e9gatifs engendr\u00e9s par le commerce conventionnel.\r\n\r\n \r\n
Si mon chocolat est bio, est-ce qu\u2019il pr\u00e9serve l\u2019environnement ?<\/h3>\r\nUn chocolat bio pr\u00e9serve l'environnement dans le sens o\u00f9 son mode de production agricole n'utilise ni engrais chimique de synth\u00e8se, ni pesticide, ni herbicide chimique, ni fertilisant artificiel ou hormone de croissance et ni OGM. Vous avez sans doute vu \u00e0 la t\u00e9l\u00e9 ou dans les m\u00e9dias que la culture du cacao participe \u00e0 la d\u00e9forestation? En effet, dans certaines zones du monde, c\u2019est le cas, et la certification bio ne garantit pas, h\u00e9las, une absence de d\u00e9forestation. Or, nous connaissons tous les impacts n\u00e9fastes de la d\u00e9forestation sur l'environnement.\r\n
Zoom sur la lutte contre la d\u00e9forestation men\u00e9e par Kaoka<\/h4>\r\nAu P\u00e9rou, en Colombie et en \u00c9quateur, depuis les ann\u00e9es 90, les \u00e9cosyst\u00e8mes forestiers locaux disparaissent face \u00e0 l\u2019expansion rapide des terres \u00e0 usage agricole. Appauvris par la d\u00e9forestation et la culture intensive, les sols deviennent improductifs et ne permettent plus d'assurer des revenus suffisants.\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Lutte-contre-deforestation-cacao-1200x556.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nChez Kaoka, la bio appartient \u00e0 une d\u00e9marche globale. Nous avons nos propres fili\u00e8res et travaillons de mani\u00e8re rapproch\u00e9e avec les producteurs. Gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 cette proximit\u00e9, nous les sensibilisons sur les questions de d\u00e9forestation et surtout nous leur apportons des solutions concr\u00e8tes pour qu'ils puissent am\u00e9liorer leurs revenus sans avoir \u00e0 sacrifier leurs for\u00eats pour de la production agricole. Nous leur donnons acc\u00e8s \u00e0 des p\u00e9pini\u00e8res de plants de cacao r\u00e9sistants et productifs, nous les accompagnons dans la restauration de leurs sols, nous mettons en place des syst\u00e8mes agroforestiers performants. Parce que nous avons des engagements forts avec nos partenaires producteurs, ils sont pr\u00eats \u00e0 s'engager de leur c\u00f4t\u00e9 en signant des accords de conservation des for\u00eats. C'est l'ensemble de cette d\u00e9marche qui permet \u00e0 Kaoka de garantir des chocolats z\u00e9ro d\u00e9forestation.\r\n\r\nQui plus est, la question de la d\u00e9forestation est un crit\u00e8re \"ko\" de la certification Fair for Life, v\u00e9rifi\u00e9 lors des audits annuels par Ecocert.\r\n\r\nL'observation des zones foresti\u00e8res est un v\u00e9ritable enjeu dans la lutte contre la d\u00e9forestation. Il permet de suivre leur \u00e9volution et d'assurer le maintien des for\u00eats. C'est pour cette raisons que nous avons g\u00e9or\u00e9f\u00e9renc\u00e9 l'ensemble des plantations (la digitalisation des polygones \u00e9tant en cours de finalisation) et au P\u00e9rou, nous sommes en train de mettre en place un suivi par t\u00e9l\u00e9d\u00e9tection du couvert v\u00e9g\u00e9tal.\r\n\r\nEn plus de cela, Kaoka m\u00e8ne d\u2019autres initiatives comme la cr\u00e9ation de corridors de biodiversit\u00e9 entre les zones de cultures, le reboisement des rives pour limiter l\u2019\u00e9rosion, la redensification des plantations.\r\n\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Chocolat-bio-pas-cher-kaoka-1200x556.jpg\")
\r\nLe chocolat bio et \u00e9thique, c\u2019est forc\u00e9ment plus cher ?<\/h3>\r\nLa question du prix est toujours complexe car elle d\u00e9pend de nombreux facteurs ! Pour faire simple, le prix d'un chocolat d\u00e9pend du prix de revient, de la marge du fabricant et de celle du distributeur\/magasin.\r\n\r\nKaoka a un prix de revient plus \u00e9lev\u00e9 puisque l'entreprise a fait le choix de mieux r\u00e9mun\u00e9rer les producteurs, et ainsi am\u00e9liorer leurs conditions de vie. Cependant, elle le compense par des marges raisonnables par souci de rendre le chocolat bio et \u00e9thique accessible \u00e0 un maximum de personnes.\r\n\r\nUn chocolat bio et \u00e9quitable, qui respecte tous les acteurs de la cha\u00eene, aura de plus grandes chances d'\u00eatre plus cher qu'un chocolat conventionnel.\r\n\r\nLe pouvoir d'achat permet de choisir le monde de demain. Acheter bio et \u00e9quitable est un acte solidaire.\r\n\r\n \r\n
Est-ce qu\u2019on peut \u00eatre s\u00fbr que le cacao bio l\u2019est vraiment ?<\/h3>\r\nUn cacao bio est un cacao qui r\u00e9pond \u00e0 des exigences strictes, encadr\u00e9es par la r\u00e9glementation europ\u00e9enne. Pour commercialiser du cacao ou du chocolat bio, tout op\u00e9rateur est contr\u00f4l\u00e9 par un organisme certificateur agr\u00e9\u00e9 par les pouvoirs publics.\r\n\r\nIl faut savoir que la r\u00e9glementation bio impose aux acteurs bio une obligation de moyens et non de r\u00e9sultats. En effet, les plantations des producteurs bio ne poussent pas sous une bulle. Si le producteur bio n'a pas recours \u00e0 certains intrants chimiques, des plantations environnantes peuvent les utiliser et risquer de contaminer la production bio, avec des traces de r\u00e9sidus chimiques.\r\n\r\nC'est pourquoi Kaoka a mis en place des mesures pr\u00e9ventives pour \u00e9viter le risque de contaminations crois\u00e9es : des haies v\u00e9g\u00e9talis\u00e9es sont implant\u00e9es pour faire barri\u00e8re, des \u00e9quipes de socio-techniciens sensibilisent les producteurs sur le sujet et apportent leur soutien technique, un r\u00e9seau de communication a \u00e9t\u00e9 mis en place pour informer et permettre la fermeture des s\u00e9choirs solaires lorsqu'un risque a \u00e9t\u00e9 rep\u00e9r\u00e9. De plus, les containers de cacao de Kaoka sont analys\u00e9s \u00e0 r\u00e9ception. Les lots de cacao qui ne r\u00e9pondent pas aux exigences sont d\u00e9class\u00e9s.\r\n\r\nConsommer bio est un acte militant. Pour r\u00e9sumer, plus nombreux seront les consommateurs qui choisiront de manger bio, moindre sera l'utilisation de produits chimiques dans le monde. En privil\u00e9giant la bio, l'environnement et la sant\u00e9 des humains seront de plus en plus prot\u00e9g\u00e9s.\r\n
Zoom sur les certifications<\/h4>\r\nLes chocolats Kaoka sont certifi\u00e9es biologiques par Ecocert et labellis\u00e9es \u00e9quitables par Biopartenaire selon le r\u00e9f\u00e9rentiel Fair For Life (FFL), contr\u00f4l\u00e9 par l\u2019organisme tiers Ecocert. Ces certifications constituent une garantie des actions de Kaoka au regard des consommateurs. Mais Kaoka va bien au-del\u00e0 de ces r\u00e9f\u00e9rentiels et porte encore plus loin ses engagements sur le terrain.","post_title":"5 id\u00e9es re\u00e7ues sur le cacao et le chocolat bio","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"5-idees-recues-sur-le-cacao-et-le-chocolat-bio","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-03-31 15:09:23","post_modified_gmt":"2026-03-31 15:09:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/lactualite-de-kaoka\/\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":10523,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-10-19 09:44:56","post_date_gmt":"2021-10-19 09:44:56","post_content":"After 3 years of work, we are proud to be the initiators and co-signatories of a public-private partnership for the conservation and regeneration of ecosystems, protection of biodiversity, and promotion of agroecology in the cocoa industry in Peru, Colombia and Ecuador.\r\n\r\n
![\"foret](\"https:\/\/www.kaoka.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/28062018-DJI_0035.jpg\")
\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\"As a matter of fact, for 30 years, we have been working in Latin America to establish partnerships with local cocoa producers. Together, we share the same ambition: to produce excellent cocoa using sustainable techniques, in a spirit of fairness, while preserving ecosystems.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nBut today, the facts are clear: the destruction of primary forests is accelerating and the consequences of this phenomenon on biodiversity are extremely serious. While some actors are content with a pledge to replant trees, we do not subscribe to this \u00abtree-washing\u00bb approach<\/strong>, and we believe that it is urgent to preserve and restore these primary forests and their ecosystems.\r\n\r\nFaced with the magnitude of the challenge and its ecological, economic, and social complexity, it was essential for a small family business like ours to join forces with international expert partners.<\/strong> For this reason, this summer we signed a unique partnership with the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), World Agroforestry (ICRAF) and the NGO Conservation International. In this collaboration, each partner, a recognized specialist in its field, will contribute its specific skills and expertise.\r\n\r\nAn exemplary approach to public-private cooperation, our project is set to be a laboratory for experimenting with the revolution that we must lead<\/strong>. We aim to prove its effectiveness and ability to be scaled out to help protect unique forest ecosystems and carbon reservoirs that are essential to decelerating climate change.\r\n\r\nCo-funded by Kaoka and FFEM (French Facility for Global Environment), this \u20ac8.97 million project is fully consistent with the National Strategy to Combat Imported Deforestation (SNDI)<\/strong>, which aims to put an end to the import of forest or agricultural products, including cocoa, that contribute to deforestation. It is, therefore, for the survival of the sector and the future of our producer partners that we renew our commitment today.\"\r\n\r\nGuy Deberdt, Director General of KAOKA and S\u00e9bastien Balmisse, Director, Sectors and Quality \u2013 RSE Director at Kaoka\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
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<\/h2>\r\nTowards a sustainable gourmet and zero-deforestation cocoa<\/h2>\r\nFor Kaoka, a familyowned French business specialized in organic fair-trade chocolate, sustainable excellence and environmental protection are not words to be used lightly. In fact, they should be much more than a mere thought. Since its establishment 30 years ago, Kaoka\u2019s commitment to sustainability and environmental protection has been at the forefront of all of its activities. Kaoka is now adding value to its original approach by initiating an ambitiou<\/strong>s ecosystem preservation and regeneration project and promoting agroecological systems in the cocoa industry in Peru, Colombia and Ecuador.\r\nTo this end, Kaoka is collaborating with the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), and World Agroforestry (ICRAF), two CGIAR research centers, as well as with an international NGO specializing in the preservation of natural resources (Conservation International) and local cocoa farmers\u2019 associations.Launched in July 2021, the project is co-financed by the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM), Kaoka, and the project partners.<\/strong> Together, they will contribute to creating a sustainable cocoa value chain and, most of all, one that is fully tailored to the specific challenges linked to fighting deforestation, restoring soil, preserving biodiversity, and developing the economy in these countries.\r\n\r\nThe project seeks to promote a \u201ccocoa of excellence\u201d for Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, three neighboring countries for which cocoa is a symbol of their shared history and riches in terms of both culture and biodiversity.\r\n\r\n*CIAT will intervene on behalf of Alliance Bioversity International- CIAT.<\/em>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
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The objectives of this \u20ac8.97m project<\/h2>\r\n
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Project partners and their roles<\/h2>\r\n
Project coordination and technical support<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\nKaoka, french company, aromatic and organic fair-trade cocoa specialist<\/h4>\r\nExpertise:<\/strong> mastery of the cocoa industry and cocoa\u2019s organoleptic profiles.\r\nIts role within the project:<\/strong> provide expertise in a range of fields related to cocoa production, transformation, and commercialization. Kaoka will co-finance the project and will be considered as a technical partner for the coordination, monitoring, and implementation of activities.\r\nKaoka will co-chair the steering committee with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
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Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, biodiversity, climate change, environment and nutrition research specialists<\/h4>\r\nExpertise:<\/strong> deliver research-based solutions that address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. With novel partnerships, the Alliance\r\ngenerates evidence and mainstreams innovations to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive prosperity, and nourish people in a climate crisis.\r\nIts role within the project:<\/strong> carry out mapping activities, identify native varieties, select crop-specific equipment for the implementation of grafts and nurseries, and codesign conservation plans. CIAT will sign an agreement with FFEM and will be in charge of project coordination and the distribution of funding allocations to local partners.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
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\r\nWorld Agroforestry (ICRAF), agroforestry research specialists<\/h4>\r\nExpertise:<\/strong> develop research and provide scientific evidence on the benefits of trees for people and the environment.\r\nIts role within the project:<\/strong> to assess indigenous communities\u2019 knowledge on agroforestry systems to increase their knowledge base through tailored approaches.\r\n\r\n \r\n
Implementation<\/h3>\r\n
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Kaoka Foundation (Ecuador)<\/h4>\r\nExpertise:<\/strong> renew cocoa plantations under the agroforestry system, manage deforestation monitoring systems, and sign individual and\/or collective conservation agreements with local farmers.\r\nKaoka Foundation is a local NGO that receives funding from FFEM and co-finances projects through cocoa fair-trade premiums paid by Kaoka.\r\nNote: even though both entities share the same name, Kaoka Foundation is independent from Kaoka.\r\n
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Biococoa (Peru)<\/h4>\r\nRestore degraded soil and promote planting of aromatic cocoa under agroforestry systems, sign individual and\/or collective conservation agreements with local farmers, and manage deforestation\r\nmonitoring systems.\r\nBiococoa is a local NGO that receives funding from FFEM and co-finances projects through cocoa fair-trade premiums paid by Kaoka.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
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\r\nConservation International (Colombia)<\/h4>\r\nImplement environmental preservation programs and restore natural resources, promote planting of cocoa under agroforestry systems, sign individual and\/or collective conservation agreements with local farmers, manage deforestation monitoring systems, and promote commercial agreements with sales representatives from the cocoa of excellence sector.\r\n\r\n \r\n
Cocoa farmers involved in the project<\/h3>\r\n \r\n\r\nColpa de Loros cooperative in Peru\r\n\r\nPartner cooperatives in Ecuador\r\n\r\nPartner cooperatives in Ecuador\r\n\r\nThe project will aim to establish new profitable commercial opportunities.\r\n\r\n \r\n
Funding partners<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\nFFEM (French Facility for Global Environment)<\/h4>\r\nExpertise:<\/strong> preservation of the environment and sustainable social and economic development in developing and emerging countries.\r\nIts role within the project:<\/strong> contribute with funding to the project through grants allocated to CIAT, which will be eventually disbursed to the implementing partners.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
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Fostering sustainable cocoa farming methods to preserve unique biodiversity<\/h2>\r\nSince the 1990s in Latin America, the expansion of arable land has led to the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. This deforestation is a crucial and complex climate change and biodiversity concern. It has led to soil depletion, destruction of biodiversity, and an unprecedented decline in farmers\u2019 revenue. The cocoa tree agroecology regeneration project spearheaded by Kaoka aims to bring value back to cocoa farming: a cocoa of excellence that is economically viable and sustainably produced without deforestation.<\/em>\r\n\r\nThe situation is alarming in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Since the 1990s, the rapid expansion of agricultural lands is one of the main drivers of destruction of local forest ecosystems. Intensive\r\nproduction methods, in particular those of coca, drove farmers to deforest new areas for production. This phenomenon is called \u00abthe pioneer front\u00bb and has largely accelerated deforestation. The\r\nconversion of forest areas into crop lands has also led to the fragmentation of wildlife\u2019s natural habitats and degradation of biodiversity and ecosystems. The productivity of depleted lands has decreased, thus making difficult to produce staple crops and ensure sufficient income for the local populations.\r\n\r\nKaoka\u2019s project to regenerate cocoa plantations using an agroecological approach provides concrete and expert solutions to these challenges.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nZOOM IN\u2026 ON ECOLOGICAL CONNECTIVITY\r\nEcological connectivity seeks to bridge together all the different natural areas in order to allow animals and plants to move freely, all the while restoring ecological continuity. Indeed, the loss of natural habitats and their fragmentation is a major driver of biodiversity erosion.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
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<\/h2>\r\nConcrete solutions to preserve unique biodiversity<\/h2>\r\n
Develop Agroforestry<\/h3>\r\nTurning to agroforestry techniques<\/a> in cocoa farming not only diminishes the need for farming inputs but also allows farmers to combine food crops (fruit trees, plantains, pepper plants, etc.) and forest tree species with cocoa trees. This creates a virtuous circle that guarantees immediate and long-term revenue for farmers, all the while restoring soil fertility. This approach guarantees the sustainability of cocoa farming, while limiting the expansion of agricultural land into forests. The agroforestry systems proposed within the framework of this project will be tailor-made for local ecosystems as well as for farmers\u2019 needs and goals.\r\n
Reestablish ecological connectivity<\/h3>\r\nIn response to the destruction of forests, the different species that inhabit them are modifying their natural habitat. This is a particularly concerning issue for the Amazon portion of the project, both in Peru and in Colombia, a place with a great wealth of biodiversity, and its preservation is essential. By replanting hedges, shade trees, etc., the project offers a way for the different species to move from one forest area to another and rebuild their natural living environment. Restoring ecological connectivity therefore helps to preserve biodiversity endangered by previous deforestation practices.\r\n
Strengthen productive infrastructure and farmers' capacity<\/h3>\r\nThis project seeks to improve the entire cocoa supply chain, from its cultivation and to its final commercialization. The technical support farmers will receive will allow them to expand and enhance their facilities for fermentation and drying of cocoa beans.\r\nWith the support of Kaoka, research work will be carried out to better control the fermentation process. Farmers will also benefit from training aimed at strengthening their skills for implementing sustainable agricultural practices.\r\n
Ensure landscape conservation<\/h3>\r\nPrimary forests contain massive quantities of carbon dioxide and their destruction triggers significant greenhouse gas emissions, thus accelerating climate change.\r\n\r\nAs a part of this project, tools for impact assessment and monitoring of agricultural production areas will be developed. Through conservation agreements, farmers and farmer organizations will commit to protecting and promoting and valuing their regions\u2019 forests and limiting the expansion of their farming operations.\r\nRestoring old plantations using agroforestry increases on-farm profitability by diversifying the crops and improving land productivity.\r\nFurthermore, the project will contribute to restoring areas with severely degraded soils (old grazing areas) and putting these areas back into productive use.\r\n\r\nThese two combined effects will ensure that cocoa farming does not lead to deforestation.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\nDifferentiated strategies<\/h2>\r\nIn the Andean region, cocoa is a crop of economic and social importance. Cocoa is mainly produced by small to medium family farms, comprising hundreds of thousands of farmers. Production volumes have risen significantly in response to the ever-growing demand on national and international markets. However, environmental, social, and economic concerns are not the same in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Therefore, this project implemented by Kaoka takes into account site-specific challenges.<\/strong>\r\n
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Colpa de Loros Cooperative in Peru<\/h4>\r\nSite-specific challenges:\r\n
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Partner cooperatives in Ecuador<\/h4>\r\nSite-specific challenges:\r\n
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Conservation international in Colombia<\/h4>\r\nSite-specific challenges:\r\n
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