Starbucks Socially Responsible Cocoa Sourcing Program and Cocoa Practices

Cocoa products are an important ingredient in many of the beverages and foods Starbucks sells. We are committed to buying cocoa that has been produced and traded in an ethical, transparent and environmentally sustainable manner and we are taking significant steps to ensure that our supply chain is in line with our Company values. Cocoa, like coffee, is an agricultural product grown only in the world’s equatorial regions. And as with coffee, there are significant sustainability issues associated with its production.

Taking a cue from C.A.F.E. Practices, our coffee-sourcing practices, we've worked since 2004 to develop similar purchasing guidelines for high-quality cocoa. While the two programs reflect some similarities in structure and criteria, the Cocoa Practices program is specifically designed to evaluate and recognize producers of sustainable, high-quality cocoa. Our Cocoa Practices Guidelines and Scorecard were developed in collaboration with stakeholders — suppliers, government agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and chocolate manufacturers. Learn more about our approach to ethical cocoa sourcing at the Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ website.