PURATOS INTRODUCES CACAO-TRACE COCOA IN CHOCOLATE COMPOUND PRODUCTS IN CANADA, STRENGTHENING SUPPORT FOR COCOA FARMING COMMUNITIES

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Nov. 25, 2025 /CNW/ - Puratos, a global supplier of bakery, patisserie, and chocolate ingredients, has announced that several compound chocolate products made at its Foleys facility in Richmond, BC, will now use Cacao-Trace certified cocoa. The shift extends the reach of Puratos' long-standing global sustainability program into more of its locally produced chocolate portfolio.

According to Puratos' Taste Tomorrow 2025 research, 60% of North American consumers seek foods that guarantee farmers a fair income, and 67% want visibility into where their food comes from and how it's produced.

"In the chocolate sector, we continue to set industry benchmarks for responsibility and innovation. Our Cacao-Trace program ensures higher-quality chocolate while making a meaningful impact at the source by giving farmers better incomes through the Chocolate Bonus and Quality Premium."

Pierre Tossut, Chief Executive Officer, Puratos

Making a Measurable Difference

Through the Cacao-Trace program, Puratos partners directly with cocoa farmers and post-harvest centres. Farmers receive a Quality Premium for delivering superior beans, plus a Chocolate Bonus of €0.10 (CAD $0.16) for every kilogram of Cacao-Trace product sold, which is paid directly to farming communities to support better income, education, healthcare, and infrastructure initiatives.

Together, these payments can represent an increase of two to five months' additional income per year for participating farmers, creating a tangible, traceable impact that goes beyond traditional certification models.

Funds generated through Cacao-Trace have already supported the construction of schools, maternity wards, and clean-water projects in cacao-producing countries. The program also invests in agroforestry and reforestation efforts. This includes planting trees for fruit and lumber production on cocoa plantations for added biodiversity in both flora and fauna. The result is plantations with healthier soil and that are more resilient to extreme weather conditions like flooding and drought.

Great Taste, Doing Good

The Cacao-Trace program ensures that high-quality beans are delivered fresh to our post-harvest centres for improved quality. Additionally, Cacao-Trace has mastered the fermentation process, creating a final product with exceptional flavour. By linking high-quality chocolate to shared value creation, Cacao-Trace represents a verifiable model of sustainability, one where improvement in taste signals improvement in livelihoods.

With decades of chocolate-making expertise through Foleys, Puratos Canada continues to strengthen its local production base while aligning with the global Cacao-Trace vision of creating shared prosperity across the cocoa value chain. The move reflects Puratos' belief that sustainable growth starts with the people who cultivate the raw materials that make chocolate possible.

Puratos Canada continues to lead innovation in sustainable chocolate for the betterment of farmers, and to help customers future-proof their business by delivering what consumers are demanding. This new initiative also reaffirms their commitment to local production in Canada.

About Puratos

Puratos is an international group offering a full range of innovative food ingredients and services for the bakery, patisserie, and chocolate sectors. It serves artisans, retailers, industrial manufacturers, and foodservice companies in more than 100 countries. Headquartered in Belgium, the company was founded in 1919. Puratos believes that food plays an important role in people's lives and aims to help customers succeed by turning technologies and global food-culture insights into new opportunities. Working together with its customers, Puratos develops innovative solutions that support the health and well-being of people around the world.

For more information, visit www.puratos.com

SOURCE Puratos

Media Inquiries - For more information, please contact: Joseph Hackett, Media Relations, Nourish Food Marketing, [email protected]