Product Certification

Cocoa Program

Fair Trade helps cocoa farmers, traders and chocolate manufacturers participate in long-term, stable relationships that support dependable incomes for farmers and their families, which in turn allows them to provide reliable, high-quality cocoa supplies for the industry. Fair Trade provides economic, social, and environmental sustainability: the protection of a floor price, so that producers never have to sell their crop below the cost of sustainable production. The Fair Trade allows producer groups to invest in the future of their farms and communities; Fair Trade standards are a framework for farmers to increase their environmental sustainability. Since 2002, small-scale cocoa producers across West Africa and Latin America have benefitted from U.S. consumers' commitment to Fair Trade. In 2009, well-recognized global brands commited to certification: Leading British chocolatier Cadbury converted its popular Dairy Milk bar to Fair Trade, Nestle announced the conversion of Kit Kat in the Untied Kingdom, and Green & Black’s committed to convert all chocolates products globally to Fair Trade Certified. Not to be left behind, Ben & Jerry’s committed to source all available Fair Trade Certified ingredients for its ice creams by 2013.

Contact Us to learn more about the Cocoa Program

Featured Producer

CONACADO - Coordinadora Nacional Cacaocultores Dominicanos
Confederación Nacional de Cacaocultores Dominicanos, or CONACADO, is one of the island country’s top three cocoa producing and exporting entities. Around 85 percent of cocoa grown by CONACADO’s members is certified organic, and most is grown under...

How Fair Trade Has Made a Difference

Healthcare: The cooperative invested in a rural health care center when a community’s clinic failed to meet the community’s basic health needs. They also provided free medical assistance and informational sessions on STDs.

Read More

Importers

How to Import Fair Trade Cocoa

  • Sign a Fair Trade USA certification and licensing agreement.
  • Pay Fair Trade USA an annual importer fee of $500.
  • Purchase Fair Trade Certified cocoa from Fair Trade cooperatives, producer groups or exporters certified by FLO-Cert. Sell Fair Trade Certified cocoa to other Fair Trade registered traders and operators.
  • Pay at least the Fair Trade minimum price and the designated Fair Trade premium to the certified cooperative--see the Pricing Database.
  • Submit quarterly reports to Fair Trade USA on Fair Trade Certified imports and sales. Undergo, and comply with, regular desk audits and on-site audits.
Manufacturers and Brands

How to Sell Fair Trade Cocoa

  • Sign a Fair Trade USA certification and licensing agreement.
  • Purchase Fair Trade Certified cocoa from a registered importer or manufacturer.
  • Submit a product profile application for each product to be labeled.
  • Submit all packaging, sales and marketing material carrying the Fair Trade Certified logo to Fair Trade USA for approval.
  • Submit quarterly reports on Fair Trade Certified cocoa purchases and product sales. Undergo, and comply with, regular desk audits and on-site audits.
  • Brands pay a fee based on quarterly sales of labeled Fair Trade Certified products.
  • Please ask about our program for small-scale partners, as lower fees and reporting requirements apply.
  • Please note: For composite products with more than one ingredient, all ingredients that can be Fair Trade Certified should be Fair Trade Certified. For example, in a chocolate bar, the cane sugar, cocoa and vanilla should all be sourced from Fair Trade Certified producers. Processed formats and byproducts may also be eligible for certification. For example, if a cosmetic product contains cocoa butter from Fair Trade Certified producers, the cosmetic may be eligible for Fair Trade labeling.

Downloads

application/pdf iconCocoa_Impact_Report_0.pdf
application/pdf iconFT_FAQ_Cocoa.pdf