Sustainability

Raw material policy: Cocoa

Cocoa’s characteristics and challenges

Cocoa is a unique plant raw material that brings delicious chocolate and cocoa flavour to products. Cocoa is harvested from the seeds of the cocoa tree and is a raw material used to make chocolate, among other things.

Cocoa grows and is farmed around the world in tropical areas near the equator, but the majority of cocoa is produced on small, family plantations in West Africa. The production of cocoa is related to a number of social responsibility challenges, such as poverty, child labour, and land ownership issues. Cocoa production may also have negative environmental impacts, depending on how it is cultivated.

Valio’s policy on the use of cocoa

In line with Valio’s policy, we use only certified cocoa* in our products.

*The policy applies only to raw materials that contain cocoa. Note: it is possible that agents or additives containing small amounts of cocoa derivatives that are not disclosed in the raw material data may be used.

Valio’s use of cocoa

Situation as of 03/2021	Target/progress (updated on 25.4.2025)
Cocoa is used in several of Valio’s consumer and B2B products, as well as in Valio’s contract manufactured products. The main raw material contained in these products is typically milk, so the amount of cocoa used per product is small. Valio’s production plants in Finland use several cocoa raw materials to produce cocoa-flavoured drinks, smoothies, puddings, and ice creams. The cocoa raw materials are highly processed for the specific needs of the products, so their supply chain is long. Valio’s production plant in Estonia use cocoa raw material to flavour quark, pudding, spreads, and processed cheese. -> All the raw material in use is sourced from approved suppliers, but the raw material is not certified.	Convert the cocoa raw materials** used to certified ones and acquire supply chain certifications for Valio’s manufacturing plants. Progress: The proportion of certified cocoa purchased is 98%. One uncertified cocoa product will be replaced with a certified product during 2025. The Rainforest Alliance certificate granted to Valio allows us to manufacture Rainforest Alliance-certified products from certified cocoa raw materials at our plants in Jyväskylä, Suonenjoki, Turenki and Seinäjoki. The share of certified consumer products in Finland is 68%.

Situation as of 03/2021

Target/progress (updated on 25.4.2025)

Cocoa is used in several of Valio’s consumer and B2B products, as well as in Valio’s contract manufactured products. The main raw material contained in these products is typically milk, so the amount of cocoa used per product is small.

Valio’s production plants in Finland use several cocoa raw materials to produce cocoa-flavoured drinks, smoothies, puddings, and ice creams. The cocoa raw materials are highly processed for the specific needs of the products, so their supply chain is long.

Valio’s production plant in Estonia use cocoa raw material to flavour quark, pudding, spreads, and processed cheese.

-> All the raw material in use is sourced from approved suppliers, but the raw material is not certified.

Convert the cocoa raw materials** used to certified ones and acquire supply chain certifications for Valio’s manufacturing plants.

Progress:
The proportion of certified cocoa purchased is 98%. One uncertified cocoa product will be replaced with a certified product during 2025.

The Rainforest Alliance certificate granted to Valio allows us to manufacture Rainforest Alliance-certified products from certified cocoa raw materials at our plants in Jyväskylä, Suonenjoki, Turenki and Seinäjoki.

The share of certified consumer products in Finland is 68%.

**For each raw material, a corresponding, existing certified raw material must be found. Converting the raw material requires a product-specific raw material conversion project in which the suitability of the new raw material for the product is verified, and the raw material conversion is implemented in a controlled manner.

The chart is updated once a year.