Blommer Chocolate, a Chicago-based processor of cocoa beans and ingredient chocolate products, reached a key corporate social responsibility goal with sourcing sustainable cocoa. More than 40,000 cocoa farmers are involved in Blommer’s sustainability program, which provides tools and training to increase yields and income while practicing sound environmental stewardship. Blommer is involved in several sustainability programs in Ivory Coast, Indonesia and Ecuador, and the company has sourced more than 100,000 metric tons of cocoa, including more than 10,000 metric tons of Rain Forest Alliance-certified cocoa so far this year.

Worldwide, more than 90% of cocoa is grown on small family farms and the Blommer programs educate the farmers to become stronger, more educated sellers to provide a better life for famer’s families and to ensure the long-term sustainability of the cocoa industry. Details of the company’s three-pronged sustainability program that focus on “People, Planet and Profitability for farmers” can be found on the new company website, including a video on sustainability programs.

Programs include the World Cocoa Foundation, Cocoa Livelihoods Program with the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Côte d’Ivoire Alliance of Farmers, Olam International and Blommer Chocolate (CIFOB), and the Sulawesi Alliance of Farmers, Olam and Blommer Chocolate (SAFOB).

“Blommer has a long history of supporting cocoa community sustainability, beginning in the
1950s when our founder, Henry Blommer began what is now the World Cocoa Foundation,” says Peter Blommer, president for Blommer Chocolate. “We are proud of the impact we’ve been able to make on so many farmer’s lives by training them on improving crop yield and quality and sustainability of the land for future cocoa crops.”