Puratos Introduces Cacao-Trace Cocoa in Canadian Products
Puratos 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.
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 EUR0.10 (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.