Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance certified chocolate taste better
At Bakker Goedhart, we strive to offer the best quality patisserie, with an eye for people and the environment. That's why Goedhart Patisserie uses Fair Trade cocoa and our bakeries in Panningen and Sevenum have the Rainforest Alliance certificate. But what does that mean exactly?
Every year, we use millions of kilos of cocoa and chocolate in our patisserie. As an ingredient in our Schwarzwalder pie, in Cut the Cake's Cheeky Chocolate cake and as a decoration on many other pastries. If, through the choices we make, we can contribute to a fairer remuneration for cocoa farmers and the prevention of child labor, we would of course be happy to do that. The environmental aspect also plays a role: tropical forests are lost during the traditional cultivation of cocoa and a huge mountain of organic waste is created during production. Especially as a family business, we take our responsibility for a livable Earth seriously. It is extra important for us to take future generations into account. Consumers are also making increasingly conscious choices in this regard, there is a demand for more sustainable products, and we, as a customer-oriented bakery, are of course responding to that. That is why we use chocolate and cocoa with labels that guarantee that it has been produced with attention to people and the environment. And last but not least: Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance are both top labels according to Milieu Centraal.
Rainforest Alliance Certificate
Our bakeries in Sevenum and Panningen both have the Rainforest Alliance chocolate certificate. At the beginning of 2018, the Rainforest Alliance merged with UTZ. Together, they developed a new standard called Rainforest Alliance, recognisable by the frog logo.
The Rainforest Alliance is committed to nature conservation and better social conditions in agriculture and forestry. In doing so, the program involves the entire chain. Rainforest Alliance certified farms must meet criteria such as preserving biodiversity, protecting natural resources, but also promoting the rights and well-being of workers and communities. The label also sets social requirements, such as mandatory financial compensation for cocoa producers in addition to the market price and a living wage for workers. There is a ban on child, forced labour and discrimination, as well as guaranteeing trade union freedom and a safe working environment. Rainforest Alliance therefore stands for the protection of people and the environment. More on rainforest-alliance.org.
Fairtrade Cocoa
The Fairtrade label (formerly the Max-Havelaar label in the Netherlands) focuses on small farmers and workers in developing countries and helps them to gain a better position in the trade chain. If they have a reliable income and are able to make a living from work, they can build a sustainable future for their families and communities. On a social level, Fairtrade sets high standards. Child and forced labour is prohibited, and children from farming families can only cooperate under strict conditions, for example only after school and only when working appropriate for their age and condition. Discrimination is prohibited and the work environment must be safe. The cooperatives receive a Fairtrade premium and participating farmers decide together how it is spent. A minimum market price is guaranteed. The environmental requirements are mainly aimed at preserving natural ecosystems (including forest), soil quality and limiting the impact on the environment. For example, cocoa cannot be grown on land that was deforested after 2018. Cocoa and coffee farmers must pay attention to the climate, but there are no concrete requirements to reduce the climate impact. The Fairtrade certificate is awarded by an independent body at product level. Read more at fairtradenederland.nl.