Sucden, Mars launch five-year low-carbon cocoa initiative in Dominican Republic, Ecuador
Sucden (General Cocoa) and Mars Inc. have announced a five-year collaboration aimed at advancing low-carbon, climate-resilient cocoa production on participating farms in the Dominican Republic and Ecuador.
The initiative, which will run from 2025 through 2029, is aligned with Mars’ 2030 ambition to cut greenhouse gas emissions across its entire business by 50% and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, measured against a 2015 baseline. The partnership focuses on reducing the carbon footprint of cocoa production while improving farm productivity and resilience.
The project is designed to combine innovation, science-based emissions reductions and farmer-centered approaches to drive meaningful greenhouse gas reductions across participating cocoa farms. Activities will encourage farmers to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices, including the use of improved planting materials, low-carbon fertilizers, aerobic composting and agroforestry techniques intended to enhance productivity and soil health while reducing emissions.
Sucden’s technical partners will support the design and monitoring of the program through advanced modeling tools and field-based assessments to quantify emissions reductions and track long-term environmental impacts.
Over the next five years, the program aims to support hundreds of farmers across priority regions in the Dominican Republic and Ecuador, covering approximately 5,250 hectares of cocoa production using improved agroforestry practices that align with Mars’ greenhouse gas reduction goals and Sucden’s commitment to regenerative supply chains.
“The world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today, and we can only achieve our sustainability ambitions by working with like-minded value-chain partners. That’s why Mars is working with suppliers to help build a deforestation and conversion-free cocoa supply chain. This collaboration with Sucden aims to encourage farmers to implement practices in Latin America that can help increase their yields while reducing our supply chain emissions—helping deliver mutual benefits for farmers, suppliers and Mars,” said Pedro Amaral, associate director and head of cocoa climate sustainability. “Taking action to embed sustainability efforts through collaborations with suppliers like this one aligns with our vision to help create a more modern, inclusive and sustainable cocoa ecosystem.”
“Addressing the climate challenges facing cocoa today demands coordinated action and specialized capabilities. Sucden brings deep on-the-ground experience in cocoa production systems, farmer engagement and sustainability program delivery – capabilities that are essential to implementing complex, multi-year climate initiatives,” said Charlotte Demuijnck, Sucden global cocoa program manager. “Through our strategic partnership with Mars, we aim to deliver robust, science-based interventions that support farmers, reduce emissions and strengthen the long-term resilience of the cocoa supply chain in Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.”
Raw ingredients account for about 65% of total greenhouse gas emissions from Mars’ snacking portfolio. If the agroforestry practices tested through this collaboration prove effective and scalable, the companies say they could contribute meaningfully to broader emissions reductions across the cocoa supply chain and support Mars’ long-term sustainability targets outlined in its Net Zero Roadmap.
