Frequently Asked
Questions

FAQ

What does Bean to Bar mean?

Lindt & Sprüngli is one of the few chocolate manufacturers adopting a bean to bar approach, which allows us to oversee the entire production process.

It all starts with purchasing cocoa beans through our own sustainability program, the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program, continues with producing the cocoa mass in our own production facilities, and extends to processing the chocolate and ultimately marketing and distributing the quality products. The cocoa used is decisive for the quality and taste of the chocolate, which is why Lindt & Sprüngli has such high standards for raw materials used and processing start as early as with the cocoa.

An exception is our subsidiary Russell Stover which buys chocolate and chocolate products.

Visit this page to find out more about the steps in Lindt & Sprüngli’s chocolate production.

What does Lindt & Sprüngli do regarding sustainable sourcing of cocoa beans? What is the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program and its scope?

The Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program was launched in 2008 in Ghana. We have since expanded it to all six of our cocoa bean sourcing origins: Ghana, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, and Peru. With the extension of the Program to cocoa butter in 2021, the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program also includes the sourcing origin Côte d’Ivoire. In 2022, the Program was further expanded to cocoa powder. By 2025, we aim to source all cocoa products (beans, butter, powder, and chocolate mass) through our Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program or other sustainability programs.

Through the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program, we aim to contribute to creating decent and resilient livelihoods for cocoa farmers and their families and to encourage more sustainable farming practices.

Find out more about this in our latest Sustainability report.

 

In 2023, we invested almost CHF 30 million in cocoa sustainability, of which CHF 26.8 million was paid to cocoa suppliers for operating cocoa sustainability programs, mainly our Farming Program.

Is the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program active in all countries from which Lindt & Sprüngli sources cocoa beans?

Yes, the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program, is in place in all countries we source cocoa beans from (Ghana, Ecuador, Madagascar, Dominican Republic, Papua New Guinea, and Peru). With the extension of the Farming Program to cocoa butter in 2021, the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program also includes Côte d’Ivoire as a sourcing origin.

Which Lindt & Sprüngli brands use cocoa beans sourced through the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program?

Currently, the following Lindt & Sprüngli brands use cocoa beans sourced through our sustainability program, the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program: Lindt, Caffarel, Ghirardelli, Küfferle and Hofbauer.

Where does Lindt & Sprüngli stand with regards to sustainable cocoa sourcing and what are the commitments made?

Our main cocoa commitment: We aim to source 100% of cocoa products – beans, butter, powder, and chocolate mass – through the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program or other sustainability programs by 2025..

An important milestone was already reached: Since 2020, 100% of our cocoa beans have been sourced through the Farming Program. In 2023, a total of 68.2% of cocoa bean equivalents (beans, butter, powder, and chocolate mass) were sourced through our Farming Program.

See all of Lindt & Sprüngli's commitments in regard to sustainability here.

From where does Lindt & Sprüngli source its cocoa beans?

Cocoa beans are the heart of our chocolates. Knowing which of the many different origins of cocoa beans will best contribute to the distinctive taste of a product is a skill that we have perfected over time.

A fundamental distinction is made between consumer and fine flavor cocoa. Consumer cocoa is cocoa with a robust flavor. It accounts for the largest share (90-95%) of total global cocoa production and is farmed mainly in West Africa. Lindt & Sprüngli uses Forastero beans (consumer cocoa), exclusively from Ghana.

The remaining 5-10% of worldwide cocoa harvests are fine flavor cocoa. Fine flavor cocoa is a high-quality cocoa with nuanced, fine aroma. It is mainly farmed in Latin America and the Caribbean. Lindt & Sprüngli uses fine flavor cocoa beans (Criollo and Trinitario) from Ecuador, Madagascar, Dominican Republic, Papua New Guinea and Peru.

The Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program, is in place in all countries we source cocoa beans from.

Since 2020, 100% of our cocoa beans have been sourced through our Farming Program.

Why does Lindt & Sprüngli focus on traceability?

Since the introduction of our Farming Program in 2008, physical traceability of cocoa has been the starting point of our responsible cocoa supply chain. Traceability is a key principle of our cocoa sourcing strategy. We aim to achieve first mile traceability for 100% of cocoa products – beans, butter, powder, and chocolate mass – by 2025.

Read more on our traceability approach here.

 

Do you source cocoa through certification schemes such as Rainforest Alliance

Lindt & Sprüngli shares the goals of the industry, governmental and non-governmental organizations (such as World Cocoa Foundation, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, etc.) for sustainable cocoa production. Where meaningful and possible, we work with them as partners.

For cocoa butter for example, we are currently in the process of transitioning different sustainability programs to Rainforest Alliance certification. However, certification is not intended to replace our Program, but serves as a basis and external verification scheme.

We have decided to implement our own cocoa sustainability program for the following reasons:

  • The Program allows us to have a better overview of the different cocoa supply chain steps and target our investments based on the needs identified.
  • Our sourcing model targets our entire cocoa supply and is not limited to individual products or product groups.
  • Farmers, their families and communities are at the center of our efforts. That is why we want to ensure that they benefit directly from our financial support wherever possible.

While we source some Rainforest Alliance certified volumes, we do not offer finished products with third-party certifications. An exception is Russell Stover, which buys chocolate as well as chocolate products and includes Fairtrade certified products (Russell Stover Joy Bites).

 

Does Lindt & Sprüngli chocolate have external certification?

Our Farming Program builds on the principle of continuous improvement.

Our monitoring and evaluation approach is based on multiple complementary elements including monitoring of outputs, a review of Program quality and verification of Program implementation, and periodic impact assessments. We assess these elements related to both the farm and implementation partner, and carry out checks to verify traceability documents.

Farming Program monitoring and verification approach:

  • Internal monitoring of farmers participating in the Program
  • Child labor focused monitoring (risk-based approach)
  • Farming Program implementation: progress and performance review
  • External verification
  • Impact assessments
  • Supply chain traceability check

As defined in our Farming Program Verification Guidance, monitoring begins with systematic annual internal monitoring of the cocoa farmers to assess their compliance with Farming Program requirements and evaluate their progress. Results from this monitoring differ between origin and supplier, and challenges are addressed for each supply chain individually.

Our cocoa sourcing under our Farming Program and other sustainability programs is subject to external verification annually by an independent third party.

For cocoa beans, external verification is conducted by the Earthworm Foundation. The methodology also includes direct engagement of the Earthworm Foundation with farmers through individual meetings and focus-group discussions to gather feedback on the support provided as part of the Program. Results from the annual assessments are transformed into an annual action plan with measures for improvement identified at supplier level. Since 2020, 100% of our cocoa beans have been sourced through the Farming Program and we are working towards our goal, to source all cocoa products (beans, butter, powder, and chocolate mass) through the Farming Program or other sustainability programs by 2025.

For cocoa butter, we are currently in the process of transitioning different sustainability programs to Rainforest Alliance certification.

Over the coming years, we aim to strengthen our monitoring and evaluation approach to improve transparency in our reporting and provide a better understanding of our achievements and challenges.

 

How does the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program measure its progress and impact?

Our Farming Program builds on the principle of continuous improvement. Our monitoring and evaluation approach is based on multiple complementary elements including monitoring of outputs, a review of Program quality and verification of Program implementation, and periodic impact assessments. We assess these elements related to both the farm and implementation partner, and carry out checks to verify traceability documents.

We publish our progress annually. All of our cocoa sourcing under our Farming Program and other sustainability programs is subject to external verification annually by an independent third-party. For cocoa beans, external verification is conducted by the Earthworm Foundation. For cocoa butter, we are currently in the process of transitioning different sustainability programs to Rainforest Alliance certification. Where long-term agreements are in place and our Program is being implemented, certification is not intended to replace our Program, but serves as a basis and external verification scheme.

Why does Lindt & Sprüngli not print the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program-logo on all products?

We print the logo of the Farming Program including a link to this website on many of our products (except white chocolate products) and are integrating this continuously. This allows interested consumers to learn more about our Program and our efforts aimed at increasing the resilience of farming households.

To which extent is Lindt & Sprüngli engaged in improving conditions for farmers in cocoa producing countries?

The cocoa sector faces a multitude of challenges related to human rights and environmental protection, such as child labor, deforestation, and persistent low incomes and poverty among cocoa farmers. We are committed to advancing effective solutions and strengthening our own contributions to address these issues and by partnering with relevant stakeholders.

Through the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program, we aim to create decent and resilient livelihoods for cocoa farmers and their families and to encourage more sustainable farming practices.

We take a holistic approach to increasing farming household incomes. We are addressing this through a combination of measures, with the aim of improving the income situation overall, being aware that poverty among cocoa households is one of the underlying root causes of the cocoa sector’s sustainability challenges. Such measures include, for example, increasing cocoa productivity and profitability, cash and in-kind premiums for farmers, income diversification, access to finance, community development and infrastructure investments, and women’s empowerment.

In 2023, we invested approximately CHF30 million in cocoa sustainability programs and 131’000 farmers in seven origin countries participate in the Farming Program.

 

What is the position of Lindt & Sprüngli on the Living -Income-Differential (LID) introduced by the governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana?

We support the efforts of the governments in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana to improve livelihoods of cocoa farmers with a Living Income Differential (LID) of USD 400 per ton. We have purchased our cocoa from Ghana and Côte d’ Ivoire with LID pricing since its introduction and will continue to do so.

We recognize that the price of cocoa is an important element to a sustainable cocoa sector. The price of cocoa that we pay is determined by the market price.

In addition to paying the market price and the LID, Lindt & Sprüngli invests in its own cocoa sustainability program, the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program. Through our suppliers, we provide cash or in-kind premiums to farmers in the Program as part of our cocoa sustainability investments. In 2023, we invested more than CHF30 million in cocoa sustainability, of which CHF26.8 million was paid to cocoa suppliers for operating cocoa sustainability programs.

 

 

What is the position of Lindt & Sprüngli on child labor and what does the company do to prevent it in its supply chain?

Lindt & Sprüngli strongly condemns all forms of child labor. At Lindt & Sprüngli, tackling child labor is a priority and we are firmly committed to avoiding it whenever possible.  Child labor in cocoa is a systemic issue rooted in poverty, lack of awareness, a shortage of adult labor, and poor infrastructure such as an absence of educational facilities in cocoa-producing villages. We are aware that we do not have all the answers on how to prevent abuses of children’s rights in our supply chains. We are however fully engaged in working to continuously enhance the effectiveness of our systems in order to address this risk in our cocoa supply chain and beyond.

We are addressing this through a combination of measures, with the aim of improving the income situation overall, recognizing that poverty among cocoa households is one of the underlying root causes of the cocoa sector’s sustainability challenges including child labor. .

We are convinced that addressing child labor in the cocoa sector effectively starts with having clearly defined processes and good management systems in place. We therefore developed a CLMRS Guidance Document for suppliers implementing the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program. The document was launched in 2021 and describes more specifically our expectations of, and proposed approach to, the prevention, monitoring, and remediation of child labor. Since the start of the implementation in 2022, supplier awareness has been increased through training and capacity building of field staff. Furthermore, the risk assessment required as part of the CLMRS enabled unannounced visits to target high-risk households. As a result, we have observed better identification of child labor risks and respective remediation actions. This demonstrates the enhanced effectiveness of the system adopted by suppliers. The more efficient and effective our identification system, the better we can work with suppliers on remediation and prevention.

To strengthen our collective action on child labor prevention, we joined the Child Learning and Education Facility (CLEF), a partnership between the Ivorian government, cocoa and chocolate industry companies, and philanthropic partners aiming to tackle the root causes of child labor and improve the quality of education through a systemic approach in Côte d’Ivoire. Joining CLEF includes a financial commitment to invest 1.25 million CHF into the initiative.

For more information, see our latest Sustainability Report.

Are pesticides used in Lindt & Sprüngli’s supply chain?

Lindt & Sprüngli monitors its raw materials through extensive laboratory testing of cocoa beans to detect possible residues of more than 570 different types of pesticides. Through the training provided as part of the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program, we encourage more sustainable farming practices that reduce the need for pesticides in cocoa production and control pests using natural methods. Additionally, farmers are educated about the correct application of inputs. As part of  our cocoa sustainability investments, farmers receive solely organic inputs for their cocoa plantations.

 

To which extent is Lindt & Sprüngli engaged in environmental protection and preventing deforestation?

Cocoa cultivation has a high risk of biodiversity loss through deforestation or harmful farming practices. Conserving biodiversity and natural ecosystems is one of the Farming Program’s main objectives.

Our aim is for no deforestation in cocoa with a target date of December 31, 2025, and to work towards the elimination of deforestation in our other key deforestation linked supply chains (palm oil, soy, and paper and pulp-based packaging). To address deforestation in our Farming Program, we have defined three core intervention areas in our Cocoa No-Deforestation & Agroforestry Action Plan. These include activities to address deforestation in the supply chain, promote agroforestry systems for cocoa, and support community forest conservation and restoration.

The primary objectives of our Action Plan for cocoa include:

  1. No cocoa sourcing from protected areas as per local laws
  2. No expansion of land for cocoa cultivation into areas defined by the High Carbon Stock (HCS) Approach or equivalent
  3. Agroforestry systems for cocoa production
  4. Supporting community forest protection and restoration

 

Additionally, we support agroforestry systems for cocoa and forest conservation and restoration.

For more Information, our “No-Deforestation & Agroforestry Action Plan” and annual progress can be found here.

 

 

What is Lindt & Sprüngli doing with other raw materials with regard to sustainable procurement?

Lindt & Sprüngli has analyzed the scope of its procurement of raw materials and set responsible sourcing targets for twelve priority raw materials (including cocoa). More information on the progress towards our targets can be found in our latest Sustainability Report.

What financial investments has Lindt & Sprüngli committed to in connection with the Farming Program?

In 2023, we invested a total of CHF30 million in cocoa sustainability, of which CHF 26.8 million was paid to cocoa suppliers for operating cocoa sustainability programs, mainly our Farming Program. Sustainability program costs include operations costs for staff, equipment, farm investments, community development and volume based cash- and in-kind premiums for farmers and farmer groups. These investments are made in addition to the market price and the Living Income Differential (LID) of USD 400 per ton, which was introduced by the governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. The Lindt Cocoa Foundation contributes an additional CHF 2–3 million annually in investments for farmers and communities in line with its mission to achieve social and ecological sustainability in the cultivation and processing of cocoa products used in chocolate production. In one supply chain in Ghana, the Farming Program is additionally co-funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs in Switzerland (SECO) with a payment pf  CHF 100,000 in the reporting year (SECO fact sheet).

We invest in other third-party projects beyond our Farming Program.

 

How big is the CO2 footprint of Lindt & Sprüngli chocolate?

Our total greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1, 2 and 3) reached 3.7 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent in 2023. Our footprint was externally audited by a third party and achieved limited assurance. Emissions from our value chain (Scope 3) represent about 96%  of our carbon footprint: cocoa (including the impacts from land use change such as deforestation), other raw materials (such as dairy), transport, and packaging being the biggest contributors. To reduce our carbon emissions, we have committed to science-based targets.

See more information in our latest Sustainability Report.

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