Zaandam, July 16, 2010 – Albert Heijn continues its drive for sustainable sourcing for all its private label products with the introduction in October 2010 of UTZ certified chocolate letters. Chocolate letters are a traditional part of the Sinterklaas festivities held in the Netherlands every year on December 5.
Albert Heijn chocolate bars of 100 and 200 grams will also be UTZ certified this year, with some other chocolate products following in 2011. The complete private label chocolate assortment will be certified by 2015 at the latest.
UTZ certification provides customers with the assurance they are buying an excellent quality product that has been grown and sourced responsibly, with consideration for the welfare of farmers and the environment. UTZ was initially a coffee certification program that has since expanded to other raw materials, including the cocoa used in chocolate. Albert Heijn's Perla coffee is already 100% UTZ certified.
Five years ago, Albert Heijn actively started looking at ways to make cocoa production sustainable and began discussions with a number of suppliers and development organizations such as Oxfam Novib. The resulting sustainability program educates farmers on how to improve the quality and efficiency of their crops and to do so in a way that is socially responsible and environmentally friendly.
Important step
“This step by Albert Heijn to sell only sustainably sourced chocolate letters and bars is a really important one,” says Oxfam Novib Director Adrie Papma. “Not only does it provide a better income for farmers in developing countries, it also gives them an independent existence. We expect other supermarkets to follow this great example.”
The introduction of sustainable cocoa fits in with the objective of Ahold in the Netherlands to produce all its private label products sustainably by 2015. Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall&Gall have around 9,000 private label products that contain raw materials from around the world. For many of these there are possibilities to improve the social, environmental and animal welfare conditions. Over the coming years all products will be reviewed and improved on the basis of certification demands.