13 Nov 2025
At Puratos, we believe that doing good and doing well go hand in hand. Our chocolate business is about more than craftsmanship, flavor and innovation – it’s about creating value across the whole supply chain. That is why our sustainable cocoa program Cacao-Trace is an important initiative for us “Great Taste, Doing Good”.
Today we are proud to share a major milestone: through Cacao-Trace, more than €7 million was channeled directly to cocoa farmers and their communities in 2024, marking the biggest annual payout in the program’s history.
Why Cacao-Trace exists
The cocoa sector faces multiple challenges: from unpredictable weather and aging trees, to smallholders earning low incomes, to sub-optimal post-harvest practices that impact flavor and quality. At Puratos, we want to build a sustainable cacao supply with excellent quality, while building and supporting communities.
The Cacao-Trace program is the answer for us to achieve our goals. It is a holistic initiative that combines yield management trainings, responsible environmental practices, premiums, and full traceability. We don’t only focus on creating value through quality but also sharing back this extra value directly with farmers and their communities via our Chocolate Bonus.
In short, it’s designed to deliver:
- A uniquely rewarding and resilient supply chain for cocoa farmers
- Environmental protection and agroforestry to build resilience
- Superior flavor and consistency for chocolate makers
- Additional income streams and community-benefit through the “Chocolate Bonus” and “Quality Premium”
- Strong protection of children’s rights and farm-worker wellbeing
What the Chocolate Bonus means
One of the most distinguishing features of Cacao-Trace is the “Chocolate Bonus”. Simply put: for every kilo of Cacao-Trace-certified chocolate sold, a fixed amount is collected and fully channelled back to cocoa-farming communities.
In 2024, the results speak volumes:
- The Chocolate Bonus reached €3.2 million, a 33 % year-on-year increase.
- In addition, a Quality Premium of €3.8 million was paid to farmers for delivering superior wet-bean quality.
- The combined payments reached over 24,073 farmers across eight cocoa-growing countries.
- Community projects funded include 72 new water facilities and 7 school-infrastructure projects, plus over 11,000 school kits.
With this program built into our supply chain and product offering, every time our customers choose Cacao-Trace chocolate, they contribute to a better future for farming families.
How we make quality and sustainability work together
At Puratos we believe that taste and sustainability are not separate. With Cacao-Trace, the post-harvest process is central:
- We work with certified farmers to ensure high-quality wet beans
- We build and manage post-harvest centers, apply rigorous fermentation methods and controlled drying/roasting – enabling superior flavor development.
- Independent third-party audits verify compliance with the Cacao-Trace standard, which is built on a three-year verification cycle.
This means that when you see the Cacao-Trace label, the cocoa is not only sustainably sourced – it is built for exceptional taste.
Looking ahead
While we are celebrating the record-breaking impact of 2024, our journey continues.
- We are on track to plant over 1.19 million trees by end of 2025.
- We aim to expand the number of farmers covered and ultimately distribute an €8 million annual Chocolate Bonus by 2030, reaching around 50,000 farmers.
- We are continuously investing in new post-harvest centers, enhanced fermentation/roasting lines and deeper customer-partner transparency.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Because when you choose sustainable cocoa, you help create a ripple effect into farms, families, communities and the planet.
