Food & Beverage Asia June/July 2020

BITING ISSUES 23
Barry Callebaut affirms the role of sustainability in the future of the
Japanese chocolate market
Barry Callebaut has established a
partnership with Tokyo-based Yuraku
Confectionery to drive sustainability in
Japan. Together, the companies are taking
a step forward and call on chocolate
manufacturers and chocolatiers in Japan
to come together to make sustainable
chocolate the norm.
To secure the future of chocolate, Barry
Callebaut has initiated a sustainability
movement with industry players within
the chocolate value chain. In 2016, the
company launched Forever Chocolate, an
initiative to make sustainable chocolate
the norm by 2025.
By committing to have more than 500,000
cocoa farmers in its supply chain lifted out
of poverty, eradicating child labour from its
supply chain, becoming forest and carbon
positive, and have 100% sustainable
ingredients in all of its products, Barry
Callebaut aims to lead the way to ensure
that chocolate will be around forever. The
company’s customers can contribute to
Barry Callebaut and Yuraku Confectionery jointly paves the sustainability
roadmap for the Japanese chocolate market
these targets by participating in the Cocoa
Horizons programme to differentiate their
brands by using the Horizons logo on pack.
In tandem, consumer awareness in Japan
on existing sustainability issues has also
ascended to unprecedented levels with
a strong commitment of the Japanese
government to the United Nation’s 2030
Sustainable Development Goals.
Pascale Meulemeester, Managing Director
for Barry Callebaut in Japan, said, “The
new Japanese consumers do not just want
chocolate that is tasty and good for them,
but also good for the planet and its people.
This presents an opportunity for chocolate
manufacturers and artisans to unite behind
a common ambition to make sustainable
chocolate the norm.”
A 2019 consumer insights research by Barry
Callebaut revealed that 72% of Japanese
consumers consider sustainability as an
important factor when purchasing food
and drinks. More crucially, 31% of the
respondents indicated
that it is “very important”
or “extremely important”.
The research also revealed
that more than 70% of
Japanese consumers link
sustainable chocolate
to a sense of feeling
good, better quality,
trustworthiness and
alignment with their
personal values. This
alignment can be found
through the Japanese
expression mottainai,
which translates “too
good to waste”, and is
a belief that is deeply
ingrained in their culture that conveys love
and respect for nature.
Yuraku Confectionery has announced their
transition to 100% sustainable chocolate
in all their Black Thunder chocolate bars
by 2025. The Japanese confectionery is
one of many more Japanese manufacturers
who are taking strides to mend the gap
between mature consumer markets and
origin countries. One of the ways they are
embarking on this journey is in visiting
Ghana, one of the world’s largest cocoa
producer, to experience and study the
prevalent structural issues of cocoa
farming in person.
The partnership between Yuraku
Confectionery and Barry Callebaut
demonstrates in making a difference on
a large scale, and are calling on other
companies in the industry to join this
movement.
Tatsunobu Kawai, President of Yuraku
Confectionery, elaborated, “Sustainability
positions us well, not just today, but for
the future. We understand that it is what
consumers are asking for and we are
happy to partner with Barry Callebaut
and its Cocoa Horizons programme to
lead the way until it becomes the norm in
the market.”
Barry Callebaut’s artisan customers such
as Chocolate Design have paved the
way using 100% sustainable chocolate
through the company’s Gourmet product
offerings under the brands Callebaut
and Cacao Barry, and, coming soon, Van
Houten Professional. Additionally, the
Belgian Chocolate brand will take its next
step and ensure farmer group traceability
in all its chocolate products. ■
Barry Callebaut
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA JUNE / JULY 2020