Mars Inc has rolled out its first Fairtrade certified product, Maltesers, into UK stores.
The move, first announced in September, is part of the confectionery giant's commitment to source its entire supply of cocoa from sustainable sources by 2020.
In 2009, the company said it would use only "certified, sustainably sourced cocoa" by 2020. Alongside that announcement, Mars said the Rainforest Alliance would certify 100,00 metric tonnes of cocoa a year. A year later, the company placed the Rainforest Alliance logo on its Galaxy bars on sale in the UK and Ireland.
It will also become the latest chocolate brand in the UK to carry the Fairtrade logo. Products including Cadbury Dairy Milk and Nestle's Kit Kat are already certified Fairtrade.
The first packs of Fairtrade certified MALTESERS® are now available in stores, in the same year that the UK's 3rd largest chocolate brand celebrates its 75th anniversary.
This move is part of Mars Chocolate's commitment to source its entire supply of cocoa from sustainable sources by 2020. The company made this original pledge in 2009 and has been making substantial progress against it; the relationship with Fairtrade marks the latest milestone towards Mars achieving 100% certified cocoa.
Fairtrade is working with tens of thousands of cocoa farmers in West Africa and the latest agreement with MALTESERS is expected to increase total retail value of UK Fairtrade product sales by 10% of what they were in 2011.
It is estimated that the move will contribute in excess of US $1 million in annual Fairtrade Premium funds for cocoa farmers to invest in their farms, business organisations and communities.
Fiona Dawson, President of Mars Chocolate UK, spoke of the partnership:
"We are enormously proud to continue to make such positive progress in our efforts in cocoa sustainability. Fairtrade is an organisation that has a great impact on the ground in West Africa and partnering with them is another step towards our 2020 goal of 100% certified sustainable."
Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation said:
"What sweet news for cocoa farmers in West Africa, and for chocolate lovers in the UK, that MALTESERS are now Fairtrade certified. This gives a significant boost to smallholder farmers to build their organisations and invest in a brighter future."
This month, Mars announced it has met its goal of purchasing 10 percent of its total cocoa supply as certified sustainable, and this year it will exceed its original target of 20 percent, making it the largest user of certified cocoa in the world. This year alone and based on current buying arrangements, Mars will be purchasing almost 90,000 metric tons of certified cocoa. Around 5,000 metric tons will be bought on Fairtrade terms in the first year of Maltesers going Fairtrade.
