FDBusiness.com

Puratos has announced an innovation in the world of sweet goods: premium compound coatings made with 100% sustainable cocoa powder.

In 2012, Puratos started to exclusively use sustainable palm oil, certified by RSPO, in its compound products (branded Carat). Now Puratos is setting a new standard in the industry by introducing a great tasting, sustainable cocoa powder from its Cacao-Trace program.

More and more consumers are curious about where their food comes from. Along with a great tasting product, they want to be able to trace the ingredients back to earth, to the conditions in which they were grown and to the people who cultivated them.

“Cacao-Trace is unique because of the approach we take towards the farming communities. We invest in two cocoa collection and training centers close to farmers, in Vietnam and Ivory Coast. Farming communities generally don’t have access to such full time services and support focused on their needs,” the company writes.

“In our cocoa collection center, we control the entire post-harvest process. By taking care of the fermentation and drying of cocoa beans we are able to provide high-quality raw materials to our factories ensuring that sustainable sourcing efforts can be combined with great taste. Physical traceability is managed through our internal control system, which allows us to give our customers full transparency on the origin of our cocoa,” the announcement continues.

“Our aim is to increase the profitability of farmers by enhancing their professionalization. There is no single solution to overcome all the challenges farmers face, which is why we need to work on multiple fronts to trigger a positive circle of change. First, we provide training on how to improve the quality and the productivity of the farms, resulting in higher volumes. Our training courses focus on how to sustainably protect the environment (soil protection, soil nutrition, renovation of trees) so farmers will be able to continue to grow cocoa in the future. Second, we pay a premium to incentivize the farmers to provide the best quality beans, resulting in more income. All of this contributes to sustainable livelihoods for the farmers and their families. It’s the combination of all of these elements that makes Cacao-Trace meaningful and different.”

“By using our compound coatings, customers are guaranteed a great-tasting product that is made with respect, both for the cocoa farmer and for his environment. In addition, all Carat items are gluten free and contain Og trans-fat, responding to growing nutrition awareness.”
Carat is Puratos’ premium line of hard and soft compound coatings and chips offering a variety of innovative chocolate solutions. In addition the company offers a select range of fillings and flavoring pastes. The sustainable range became available on January 1, 2016.