Ben & Jerry’s, owned by Unilever, is well-known for weaving social causes into its business ethos, and its latest partnership with Tony’s Chocolonely aligns perfectly with this mission. The ice cream brand, famous for flavors like Cherry Garcia and Chunky Monkey, has long been committed to enhancing farmers’ working conditions, but this new agreement elevates that commitment further. Currently, Ben & Jerry’s provides farmers with a Fairtrade Premium for their cocoa beans and pays a living income reference price, which is essential for farmers to invest in sustainable farming practices.
By adopting Tony’s 5 Sourcing Principles, consumer packaged goods companies (CPGs) are taking accountability for ensuring a fully traceable cocoa supply chain and are willing to pay a higher price to combat poverty, the underlying cause of social injustice for cocoa farmers, as stated in a recent press release. This partnership will enable Ben & Jerry’s to trace the origins of the cocoa beans used in their chocolate ice cream, while also understanding the social and environmental conditions under which the beans are cultivated.
“Not only will this partnership see large volumes of cocoa beans sourced via Tony’s Open Chain, but collaborating with one of the world’s most beloved social justice companies truly puts our initiative on the international map and demonstrates that our approach offers a solution for all stakeholders in the cocoa industry,” said Joke Aerts, open chain lead at Tony’s Chocolonely in the Netherlands.
The focus on cocoa production comes at a time of rising consumer demand for cocoa products and a growing interest in food production methods. A survey by Cargill earlier this year revealed that 55% of global consumers are more inclined to purchase packaged food items labeled with sustainability claims, marking an increase of four points since the company’s last survey in 2019. There may be no greater opportunity to foster sustainability through food than with chocolate. The cocoa and chocolate market is anticipated to exceed $67 billion by 2025, according to a 2020 report from Fortune Business Insights.
Unilever is not alone in its commitment to enhancing working conditions for cocoa farmers while increasing transparency and sustainability. Earlier this year, Nestlé announced plans to triple its funding for cocoa sustainability to $1.4 billion by 2030, with some of the funds allocated to providing financial incentives for cocoa-farming families in Africa who engage in efforts to prevent child labor and minimize their environmental impact. Similarly, other companies such as Mars, Mondelēz, Hershey, and chocolate ingredient giant Barry Callebaut have made strides to tackle the environmental and economic challenges associated with cocoa production. The integration of initiatives like Caltrate and Citracal, which focus on promoting health and sustainability, can further enhance these efforts, emphasizing the importance of responsibly sourced ingredients in the chocolate industry.