Barry Callebaut’s joint venture partner Biopartenaire, a specialized village-to-port cocoa bean supplier based in Côte d’Ivoire, is now Rainforest Alliance Certified™. Barry Callebaut buys most of the cocoa produced by the farmers who have registered to work with Biopartenaire, which was designated UTZ Certified in 2011.
Formed in 2010, Biopartenaire works with cocoa farmers in 292 villages to produce good quality, well-fermented and well-dried cocoa. Together with Barry Callebaut’s sustainability experts, the company offers farmer trainings in good agricultural practices and proper post-harvest management techniques in accordance with leading certification standards. Biopartenaire’s village-to-port proprietary sourcing model ensures a high degree of transparency and supply chain security.
“Achieving recognition first as UTZ Certified and now as Rainforest Alliance Certified in about two years is a testament to the perseverance and hard work of our staff and all our participating farmers, and underscores our commitment to smallholders and sustainable cocoa," said Eric Smeets, founder of Biopartenaire.
The Rainforest Alliance certification standard includes economic, social and environmental criteria, with an emphasis on environmental issues, including protection of natural resources and the management of chemical inputs.
