Danish chocolate house Simply Chocolate has renewed its CSR-commitments amid (and despite) the COVID-19 crisis.
Since its founding in 2011, the company has continuously worked towards achieving complete environmental and ethical sustainability across its entire value chain.
This includes minimising CO2 emissions, utilising 100% biodegradable packaging, enabling low-energy production sites and building sustainable farming infrastructures to support its partner cocoa farmers and their surrounding communities.
“If you pay attention to Simply Chocolate’s back story, you will also notice a brand that puts endless time, heartfelt effort and big investments in helping the cocoa farmers, their families, villages and cocoa communities with health, financial, educational and agricultural support,” said Simply Chocolate Head of Travel Retail Jacob Olsen.
“Sustainable policy is a fundamental part of our DNA because we know that working with cocoa brings great responsibility. Our mission is to be completely sustainable at every possible operational level in our work — from business to production and packaging.”
To support cocoa farmers, Simply Chocolate has teamed up with non-profit organisation Cocoa Horizons Foundation to launch an impact-driven programme aimed at helping cocoa farmers build self-sustaining farming communities that protect women, children and nature.
“It’s simply about the people,” says Olsen. “Working with cocoa is a big commitment that should ensure a growing and sustainable cocoa sector for generations to come. That’s why we are advocating for sustainability and working with Cocoa Horizons Foundation to create thriving communities with prosperous farmers.”
In addition, Simply Chocolate is supporting cocoa farming communities by providing access to education, clean water and basic healthcare. It is also building greenhouses in Cote d’Ivoire to provide local women with opportunities to generate sustainable income.
Transparency and clear conscience are two of the most important values to Simply Chocolate’s holistic CSR-approach. Both values resonate strongly with millennial customers, the company says. Each Simply Chocolate product is transparently labelled and only uses natural ingredients which are free of preservatives, flavour enhancers and colourants. Therefore, the Simply Chocolate offer maximises the intersection between the health and wellness trend and a genuine commitment to social responsibility.
Olsen added, “By labelling our products and branding them for what they’re not with claims such as ‘No, it’s not a condom’ or ‘This is not a baby wipe’, we are definitely attracting the attention of the millennials. We take pride in making sure that our customers get to enjoy a wide range of distinctive and delicious chocolate experiences delivered in a minimalistic, recycled and recyclable packaging that simply looks and tastes better.”
Simply Chocolate teams up with Gebr Heinemann for Oslo Airport launch
Simply Chocolate was launched in travel retail in 2018. It recently teamed with Gebr Heinemann and travel retail consultancy The Blueprint Partnership to launch in Oslo Airport.
Gebr Heinemann Travel Retail Norway Coordinator Massimo Perilli commented, “After buying it once in Copenhagen, we needed to know more about the product and instantly fell for their philosophy of handmade, natural, sustainable and responsible chocolate made with love.”
According to Perilli, the brand’s sustainable ethos was one of its most appealing USPs. He said: “We as a company wish to work with brands that produce more sustainable products. The importance of partnering with a chocolate brand like Simply Chocolate is therefore not only following customers’ needs but also taking part in the contribution of helping cocoa farmers and their communities.”
Blueprint Travel Retail Consultant Thomas Kaneko, who has been tasked with supporting Simply Chocolate’s travel retail business, added “All Simply Chocolate products benefit the local farmers, families and local communities. When you buy a Simply Chocolate product you are not only making a difference for a lot of people, but you are also actively taking care of our nature without much effort, so that’s well- spent money.
“Travel Retail is a global industry; we must support companies with a strong CSR agenda. It is a critical mission that we don’t lose sight of this even in times of crisis. It is inspiring that despite these challenging times Simply Chocolate remains a force for good.”
Simply Chocolate is available in airports, airlines, cruise ships and ferries across Europe in partnership with Gebr Heinemann, Scandlines, Harding, Scandinavian Airlines, Norwegian, LSG and Gate Retail.