Cargill Cocoa Promise helps first Brazilian cocoa farmers to become UTZ Certified

ILHEUS, Brazil, July 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of the Cargill Cocoa Promise, the first Brazilian cocoa farmers have become UTZ Certified and their products can now carry the UTZ Certified label.

Cargill is a founding member of the UTZ Certified Cocoa initiative and promotes sustainable cocoa farming globally by educating and training farmers and farm workers. In the state of Bahia, four cocoa producers have recently been audited and, by partnering with Cargill, they have become the first to produce UTZ Certified cocoa in Brazil. An additional 12 cocoa farms are scheduled to be certified by May 2014, representing about 1,000 metric tons of UTZ Certified cocoa beans. Pursuant with the global trend of increasing consumer demand for sustainable products, Cargill presents an extensive portfolio of sustainable cocoa and chocolate products.

"The UTZ Certified initiative recognizes and rewards the efforts necessary to implement and enhance production processes. By encouraging these practices we reap good fruit, both in respect to cocoa beans as well as the quality of life of farmers, rural workers and the environment. This initiative is aligned with a growing demand from our customers for more sustainable products," explains Rodrigo Melo, Origination Manager, Cargill Cocoa and Chocolate Brazil.

In October 2012 the Cargill plant in Ilheus, Bahia, became Brazil's first cocoa processor to become UTZ Certified. When building a sustainable supply chain, cocoa delivery, storage, and traceability processes are reviewed. Additionally, origination, delivery, and production staff undergo training to apply and replicate the standardized procedures.

The Cargill Cocoa Promise is the company's global commitment to the development of a sustainable cocoa supply chain and to making a difference in three key areas – improving the lives of cocoa farmers, supporting cocoa farming communities, and investing in the future of cocoa farming. The Cargill Cocoa Promise works together in partnerships with NGO's and other local partners in cocoa growing countries. Its long-term approach for a sustainable supply chain uses certification and labels such as UTZ Certified as an enabler to help raise standards and to provide farmers with financial incentives.

Under the Cargill Cocoa Promise, Cargill invests and provides financing, training and support to secure a sustainable cocoa supply chain in cocoa producing countries including in Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, Vietnam, Indonesia and Brazil. Cargill is training over 80,000 farmers annually and is on target to source over 120,000 tons of certified sustainable cocoa beans by 2015.

Cargill

Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services. Founded in 1865, our privately held company employs 142,000 people in 65 countries. We help customers succeed through collaboration and innovation, and are committed to sharing our global knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges.

Cargill has been in Brazil since 1965; today the company is one of the largest food companies in the country. Based in Sao Paulo, SP, the company is present in 14 Brazilian states, has plants and branch offices in nearly 160 cities in the country and employs more than 8,000 people.

Cargill's Cocoa Promise

Cargill's Cocoa Promise is a commitment by the company made in 2012 to continue to partner with local governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), customers and farmer organizations – to make a difference to the lives of farmers and their communities, and to create value for our customers and our business by securing better quality cocoa.  Cargill will continue to invest and provide financing, training and support to maintain and strengthen a sustainable cocoa supply chain in Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, Vietnam, Indonesia and Brazil.

About Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate:

Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate offers the food industry a wide range of both standard and customized cocoa and chocolate ingredients to be used in delicious bakery, confectionery, and dairy applications all over the world. Our product range includes high quality Gerkens® cocoa powders, chocolate including Wilbur®, Peter's® and Veliche®, coatings, fillings, cocoa liquors and cocoa butters. With years of experience in technical food expertise Cargill supports its customers in new recipes and new product development.

Our facilities in Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cote d'Ivoire, France, Germany, Ghana, the Netherlands, UK and the USA are fully dedicated to produce in accordance with the highest food safety standards.

To secure a good quality and sustainable supply of cocoa beans we have our own cocoa bean sourcing operations for buying, handling and/or exporting of cocoa beans in Brazil, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Indonesia and Vietnam. Presence in all the leading producing countries allows Cargill to oversee the supply chain from beans at origin to cocoa and chocolate products on our customers' doorstep. In addition, extensive market research and analysis proves to be a source of valuable information to our customers.

For more information, please visit: www.cargillcocoachocolate.com

SOURCE Cargill