Nestle investing in open innovation to boost productivity and quality of life for cocoa producers in Brazil, in part by implementing pilot projects on cocoa producing farms in Bahia and Pará to solve priority challenges in the chain

January 9, 2024 (press release) –

Nestlé is investing in open innovation to boost productivity and quality of life for cocoa producers in Brazil . Through partnerships with startups, the company is implementing pilot projects on cocoa producing farms in Bahia and Pará to solve priority challenges in the chain, such as lack of basic sanitation, water and sewage treatment, and property management. Solutions include mini sewage treatment plants, filters and usage procedures for water treatment, and evolution of farm management. Nestlé seeks innovative and sustainable solutions to contribute to the socioeconomic development of cocoa-producing regions. The company employs more than 30 thousand people in Brazil and has 20 industrial units in several states. The Nestlé Cocoa Plan is the largest sustainability program for cocoa in Brazil and aims to achieve 100% sustainable cocoa by 2025.

Key Highlights:

* Nestlé is implementing pilot projects on cocoa-producing farms in Bahia and Pará

* Pilot projects aim to solve priority challenges in the chain, such as lack of basic sanitation, water and sewage treatment, and property management

* Nestlé partnered with startups Zero Esgoto, Água Camelo and Labor Rural to develop innovative solutions

Original Press Release:

São Paulo, Jan. 8 -- Nestlé issued the following news release:

- Partnerships with startups result in pilot projects being developed on farms in Bahia and Pará with a focus on basic sanitation, water treatment and property management.

Nestlé, through its open innovation platform Panela and the Nestlé Cocoa Plan (NCP) -- the largest sustainability program in Brazilian cocoa farming --, is implementing pilot projects on cocoa producing farms in Bahia and in Pará with the aim of acting on priority challenges in the chain, such as lack of basic sanitation, water and sewage treatment, and property management. The partnership with startups resulted in three initiatives.

With the startup Zero Esgoto, an alternative basic sanitation solution was developed for 20 cocoa farms in regions with restricted access to the sewage network, in Bahia . Mini sewage treatment plants (ETEs) were implemented which, using a mechanical filtration and biological treatment solution, turns sewage waste into type 2 water, in accordance with Conama ( National Environmental Council ) standards.

With the startup Água Camelo, the solution was water treatment on two cocoa farms, also in difficult-to-access regions. The solution found was the installation of filters and usage procedures to qualify the treated water. This pilot will continue for a second phase, bringing together Panela and the startup, to evaluate and adjust the business model using new digital technologies that enable the scalability of the initiative.

The third pilot, with the startup Labor Rural, is longer because it considers a complete annual cocoa cultivation cycle. The initiative has been working on evolving the management of 25 farms in Pará , whether or not they are part of the Nestlé Cocoa Plan, with a comprehensive view of planting and the different moments and needs of the harvest. This pilot will continue until August 2024 .

“ As a large-scale company, we are committed to seeking innovative and sustainable solutions to contribute to the socioeconomic development of cocoa-producing regions, promoting not only economic prosperity, but also social and environmental well-being. As these are enormous and systemic challenges, we began implementing the solutions proposed by the startups to evaluate their effectiveness in resolving the lack of access to water, as well as addressing the lack of sanitary facilities and waste management practices on farms. After analyzing the final results, we will evaluate paths and partnerships for the next steps of the projects. ”, says Barbara Sapunar , executive director of Business Transformation at Nestlé Brasil.

About Nestlé

Nestlé has been operating in Brazil for over 100 years and continues to renew its commitment to society, as a mobilizing force that contributes to bringing nutrition and well-being to billions of people, creating an environment of inclusion and opportunity for thousands of Brazilians and being the most sustainable food producer in the country. The company employs more than 30 thousand people in Brazil and has 20 industrial units located in the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais , Bahia , Pernambuco , Goiás , Rio de Janeiro , Rio Grande do Sul and Espírito Santo, in addition to seven distribution centers and more than 70 brokers (responsible for sales, promotions, merchandising, storage and distribution). Committed to good practices that go from the field to the consumer's table, the company has thousands of supplier producers participating in quality programs in the cocoa, coffee and milk chains, which guarantee sustainable production and bring modernity to the field. In addition, it maintains initiatives in factories such as minimizing the use of water and energy and reducing emissions, reforestation actions and continuous innovations in increasingly sustainable packaging. Nestlé Brasil is present in 99% of Brazilian homes, according to research carried out by Kantar Worldpanel.

The Nestlé Cocoa Plan is the largest sustainability program for cocoa in Brazil and works on social, environmental and economic development in the states of Bahia , Pará , Espírito Santo, Tocantins , Minas Gerais , Rondônia , Pernambuco and São Paulo. The program supports the increase in productivity of more than four thousand partner producers and aims to achieve 100% sustainable cocoa by 2025.

Disclaimer: The Above Content is Auto-Translated

Source: Nestlé

[Category: Food, Packaged Foods & Meats , Partnerships and Alliances]

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