Coop Italia has introduced a range incorporating ten different chocolate SKUs, all certified Fairtrade.
The Solidal chocolate product line features a diverse range including milk, dark, no sugar added, with puffed rice and with nuts.
Production will involve manufacturers in Peru, the Dominican Republic and Madagascar and will benefit more than 12,000 small farmers in developing countries.
The cultivation of cocoa and further processing involved in the production of the range follow the principles of sustainable agriculture by avoiding excessive exploitation of natural resources. For example, the Conacado cooperative in the Dominican Republic (with 9,000 members), thanks to Fairtrade, has improved the quality of cocoa produced by improving fermentation techniques.
According to the latest report drawn up by Fairtrade Italia, the value of Fairtrade products sold in Italy is €99 million, an increase of 10% over the previous year.
Since introducing the first Fairtrade product in Italy in 1995, Coop has expanded the range and now offers 47 products in its Solidal line.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
