FDBusiness.com

Consumer packaged food and beverage company The WhiteWave Foods Company has announced that 100% of the cocoa powder sourced across its portfolio of plant-based, dairy and creamer products within the Americas Foods & Beverages segment will be independently certified sustainable by the end of 2016. All WhiteWave brands based in North America using cocoa as an ingredient will transition, including Silk, So Delicious Dairy Free, Vega, Horizon Organic, and International Delight.

As of 2015, 25% of WhiteWave’s cocoa was certified sustainable. By the end of 2016, all cocoa purchased will be certified by UTZ, an independent certification program for the responsible production of cocoa, coffee and tea using environmental, economic and social aspects.

“WhiteWave has always worked to be a responsible steward of the environment and do our part to empower the people and communities from which we source our ingredients,” said Blaine McPeak, Chief Operating Officer at WhiteWave. “We believe that being a responsible company makes us a better company, and that how we make our products is just as important as what we make. That’s why we’re raising our cocoa sourcing standards, setting an aggressive timeline and utilizing credible third parties to verify our progress. This furthers our strong commitment to producing food responsibly, and ultimately changing the way the world eats for the better.”

“We are very pleased with WhiteWave’s commitment to invest in sustainability by making a strong pledge to source responsibly produced cocoa,” said Han de Groot, Executive Director of UTZ. “Partnering with WhiteWave makes it possible for us to fulfill our mission which is to create a world where sustainable farming is the norm.”

The WhiteWave Foods Company is a consumer packaged food and beverage company that manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells branded plant-based foods and beverages, coffee creamers and beverages, premium dairy products and organic produce throughout North America and Europe.