SDGs in our exhibition
Sustainability is a huge topic and often feels abstract. Many people understand that global problems such as hunger exist, but there is a lack of concrete recommendations for action.
Sustainability at Lindt
Sustainability in chocolate production
Our partner Lindt & Sprüngli
Do you love chocolate? We do too! The global cocoa sector is a gigantic web that affects millions of lives and has a huge impact on our environment. From the cocoa farms in West Africa to our supermarket shelves - the supply chain is long and complex. But this is precisely why there is an immense opportunity here. By addressing the issue of sustainable cocoa sourcing
Imagine this: You are strolling through the Chocolate Museum, the sweet smell of cocoa in the air. Your gaze falls on the chocolate production that is in full swing here. But have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes to produce these delicacies in a sustainable way? The Chocolate Museum has been cooperating with the premium chocolate manufacturer Lindt & Sprüngli for chocolate production since 2006. Sustainability plays a key role in Lindt & Sprüngli's business success. Its 175-year history proves that Lindt & Sprüngli is a long-term oriented company that consistently delivers exquisitely crafted, high-quality products. This is reflected in its commitment to sustainability along the entire value chain.
In June 2023, the Lindt & Sprüngli Group published its 13th annual Sustainability Report, in which the company highlights the sustainability milestones it achieved in 2022. Key progress includes the expansion of responsible sourcing of cocoa and other key raw materials, the expansion of the cocoa sustainability program to more than 112,000 farmers, the submission of science-based climate targets for validation and the company's increased commitment to respecting human rights throughout the supply chain. The report also highlights opportunities and challenges for the company and the industry as a whole.
Where does Lindt get its cocoa from?
Cocoa beans are at the heart of our chocolates. Knowing which of the many different origins of cocoa beans best contributes to the unmistakable taste of a product is a skill that Lindt & Sprüngli has perfected over time.
A basic distinction is made between consumer cocoa and fine flavor cocoa. Consumer cocoa is cocoa with a robust taste. It accounts for the largest share (90-95%) of total global cocoa production and is mainly grown in West Africa. Lindt & Sprüngli uses Forastero beans (consumer cocoa) from Ghana.
The remaining 5-10% of the global cocoa harvest is fine flavor cocoa. Fine flavor cocoa is a high-quality cocoa with a nuanced, fine aroma. It is mainly grown in Latin America and the Caribbean. Lindt & Sprüngli uses fine flavor cocoa beans (Criollo and Trinitario) from Ecuador, Madagascar, the Dominican Republic, Papua New Guinea and Peru.
Lindt & Sprüngli's own sustainability program, the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program, is in place in all countries from which the company sources cocoa beans.
After achieving the goal of sourcing 100% of our cocoa beans through the Farming Program in 2020, the program was expanded in 2021 to include cocoa butter from Côte d'Ivoire. These are important steps towards the goal of sourcing all cocoa products (beans, butter, powder and chocolate mass) through sustainability programs by 2025.
(Source Lindt & Sprüngli)
Want to find out more about sustainability at Lindt & Sprüngli?
Sustainability in cocoa production
This post was written by:
Astrid Gebhardt
I'm Astrid and I've been working in marketing at the Chocolate Museum for more than 10 years. It's one of the nicest places to work in Cologne and there are always great stories to tell about cocoa and chocolate. Where else can you get such a great view of the Rhine right from your desk?
