CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSABILITY

Sustainable Cocoa for many more generations

The farmers

In Peru, more than 100,000 small holder farmers and their families produce approximately 170,000mts of cocoa beans per year. In general the cocoa sector in Peru is healthy and growing (tripled since 2010).  A large portion of the production is exported as beans but Peru also has a significant capacity for processing cocoa into butter/powder and chocolate. 

Pre-payments

At Amazonas we are very close to the farmers and farmers feel part of the Amazonas' family for more than 15 years. We support the supply chain financially through pre-payments and we do everything possible to make the sector a safe(r) place by eliminating the cash payments. Unfortunately the financial infrastructure in some provinces is still behind. Farmers or middle-men do get advanced payments while the cocoa needs to be delivered within 5 to 10 days. This way we keep the ball rolling!

Traceability

Our mission is to export fully TRACEABLE cocoa beans, obviously of the best quality and Amazonas offers to most of our associated farmers at least one of the international recognised certifications such as Fairtrade (Segregated), Rainforest Alliance (IP) and Organic EU/NOP. For each container shipped we prepare a 'Traceabilty Report'.

Training

In the supply chain, Amazonas is considered as the "Producer" and therefore we at Amazonas go beyond these certifications as the sector will not survive by certification only. Our team of agronomists give training to more than 5,000 small holder farmers who are part of our extensive certification program. The main purpose of the training is to maintain a healthy situation at the plantations, no deforestation, no child labor and social responsabilities and family values are key factors we monitor.

Local investments

We at Amazonas have invested in building our own buying stations, fermentation centers and drying fascilities to be able to buy the cocoa from all farmers yearround even during the wet seasons. We now have 5 owned buying stations and we will build more the coming years. This way we show the farmer communities Amazonas will be with them for many more generations to come.

Fair income

In Peru farmers get at least 80% of the export price paid and besides we pay our farmers an end-year bonus. In Spanish this is called "reintegro". A financial bonus to all farmers who sell their cocoa beans to us yearround. Some farmers prefer to be paid the bonus when we collect their beans, others want to get paid just before Christmas as we keep records of their sales and we keep their money safely till payment is done.

"El mejor chocolate crece en el campo"

(the best chocolate grows in the field)

'…feel part of the Amazonas' family…'

Each year during Christmas, our General Manager visits a large group of farmers in the jungle of Peru, handing out thousands Christmas breads/panetones and chocolate milk for the children and tools for the farmers. More important, each farmer receives a 'performance bonus'. The extra money is making lifes a lot easier and farmers feel part of the Amazonas' family.

Amazonas Trading Peru contributes to a more sustainable cocoa production in most of the areas. We particularly care about our farmers as without them we are unable to produce a delicious chocolate bar or a hot cup of coffee.