Puratos to expands its Cacao-Trace programme in Canada

Puratos Canada, an arm of Belgium-based ingredient supplier Puratos, has expanded its Cacao-Trace programme for building a sustainable future in cocoa-producing regions.

As part of the initiative, the company collaborates with certain farming communities and provides training to farmers for producing quality cocoa beans.

For the Canadian region, Puratos will be using Cacao-Trace cocoa for its chocolate brands, including Belcolade, which is real Belgian chocolate, and for their compound coating range called Carat.

Puratos Canada Marketing director Liesbet Vandepoel said: “The Cacao-Trace programme goes far beyond the average industry standards for sustainable chocolate by creating value throughout the supply chain, starting with the cocoa farmers down to customers.

“We are there on the ground, alongside farming communities to coach farmers to grow higher-quality cocoa and give guidance to run plantations in a more sustainable way.”

The programme has already been introduced in Vietnam, the Ivory Coast and the Philippines.

In June, the company launched its Cacao-Trace programme in Papua New Guinea region.

By 2025, Puratos intends to encourage at least 50% of its customers to switch to Cacao-Trace chocolate solutions.

It is also planning to set up two new post-harvest centres in cocoa-producing regions, as well as increase the number of farmers they support.

Last September, Puratos Canada announced plans to upgrade its facility in Mississauga to enhance the production capacity of its newly launched product line of ready-to-use fruit fillings Topfil.

Furthermore, the company aims to address demand across the country for the new product line.

Puratos Canada noted that Topfil is a new product that will allow bakeries to create natural fruit-filled products and also preserves fruit integrity, texture and flavour.