Under this motto we received our visitor from the Dominican Republic, Mr. Abel Fernandez from the cocoa cooperative CONACADO on February 13th, 2023. Together with FAIRTRADE Austria we talked about our raw material and how important it is to create a connection between cocoa producers and chocolate makers. In this way, together we can create more awareness among our customers for fair and sustainable chocolate enjoyment.

In 2017, the conversion to organically certified raw materials began. Today, almost the entire range is organic, which means that only raw materials from organic farming are used in the manufacture of Berger products. Whole milk, dark and white chocolate as well as a large selection of pralines can be bought in organic quality. The declared goal of the innovative chocolatiers is to continuously expand the range of organic products. “Both our ingredients and our manufacture are subject to strict legal guidelines. It is continuously monitored by an external body. So our customers can be sure that they only get the highest quality chocolate creations from us," explains Hubert Berger. The top priority is still the taste of the sweet compositions.

Fairtrade cocoa and raw cane sugar

Since August 2016, Berger Feinste Confiserie has only used fair-trade cocoa from sustainable cultivation. The Fairtrade-certified raw material can be traced back to the CONACADO cooperative of origin in the Dominican Republic. Fairtrade supports local smallholder families who organize themselves in cooperatives, thereby improving their living conditions. The Fairtrade Premium invests in social projects that benefit the whole community. Thanks to the environmentally friendly cocoa cultivation, the continued existence of the cocoa forests is secured. In addition to cocoa, Berger Feinste Confiserie also purchases raw cane sugar from Fairtrade-certified retailers.

“As a family business, Berger Feinste Confiserie shows how to be economically successful and act sustainably at the same time. Regional added value, fair trade and organically grown ingredients, confectionery chocolate of the best quality - this is a recipe for success, far beyond the borders of Salzburg."

Hartwig Kirner, Managing Director Fairtrade Austria

The conditions for cocoa cultivation in the Dominican Republic are perfect: vast green forests characterize the landscape there and a tropical climate prevails all year round. Cocoa plants grow in the shade of huge treetops, in between the small farmers grow vegetables, citrus trees, bananas and avocados. That sounds like paradise. Nevertheless, the Dominican Republic is the third poorest country in the Caribbean. Cocoa plays a key role in the fight against poverty because it is one of the country's most important export products. La Coordinadora Nacional de Cacaoteros Dominicanos, better known as CONACADO, makes a valuable contribution to this. CONACADO produces and exports around a quarter of the cocoa from the Dominican Republic. Around 75 percent of the cocoa from the cooperative union are high-quality, organically grown beans. One of the tasks of the organization is the marketing and organization of the further processing of the raw cocoa. Before CONACADO was founded, the cocoa farming families had a very difficult time. They had no control over the price they received for their cocoa crops and depended on middlemen. Sometimes they even had to sell their harvest below their production costs. Against this background, some small and medium-sized cocoa producers joined forces to form CONACADO in 1988. From then on they spoke with one voice, which enabled them to negotiate better prices and ultimately create better living and working conditions for themselves and their families. Fairtrade certification followed in 1995 and with it the opportunity to generate additional income through higher prices and an additional premium. A large part of the Fairtrade Premium went - and still goes - to quality improvement. This also includes training offers for families and investments in infrastructure.

“Our philosophy is to achieve higher added value through high-quality products and to create better living conditions. Establishing the connection between us and the chocolate manufacturers is very important to us. We cocoa producers are the only ones who can guarantee compliance with these standards. Together we can create more awareness among customers for fair and sustainable chocolate enjoyment. "

Abel Fernández, CONACADO, Dominican Republic