100% FAIRTRADE certified cocoa

Naturalness & regionality are two elementary factors for us when choosing our high-quality ingredients. When selecting raw materials, we pay attention to sustainable and, regional origins. This applies, for example, to flour and fresh alpine milk. FAIRTRADE enables sustainability, even for non-regional raw materials like cocoa. FAIRTRADE-certified cocoa stands for a wide range of social, economic and ecological standards that are verified by an independent inspection body.

Purchasing FAIRTRADE-certified cocoa helps to strengthen small farming cooperatives. Cocoa farmers benefit from a fair minimum price for their cocoa. Cocoa farmers also receive the FAIRTRADE premium to help realise social and infrastructure projects (e.g. hospitals and pharmacies) or provide education (e.g. by building schools).  This forms the basis for the sustainable development of society as a whole in the areas where the raw materials are grown.
 

At Ölz der Meisterbäcker we are actively committed to social responsibility as part of our long-term sustainability strategy – because this is something which is important to us. Thanks to FAIRTRADE, cocoa cooperatives in the growing countries receive fair minimum prices and an additional premium to support building a better life with self determination. FAIRTRADE stands for the equitable cultivation and fair trading in raw materials. This is why we have intentionally chosen FAIRTRADE as a partner.


Ecological, economic, and social standards in the countries of origin are guaranteed. Additional checks on these standards are carried out by the certification provider FLOCERT. The cocoa growing families and their land are regularly checked by independent experts in order to ensure the quality of the certified cocoa. These regular inspections ensure better, consistent quality in the long-term as well as higher social standards and humane working conditions. For us at Ölz der Meisterbäcker, Fairness is the basis of a good partnership and is something we maintain with our long-term partners. Fairer, more sustainable trade is integral to this practice. We buy exclusively FAIRTRADE certified cocoa for our baked products.

Every time we decide to purchase products with the FAIRTRADE seal, we are contributing to improving the living conditions and strengthening small growing families as well their communities. Ölz’ gourmets appreciate the fine taste of products such as Ölz Milch Brötle Schoko, Ölz Marble CakeÖlz Schulmaus. They also place great value on the use of sustainable raw materials. These make our baked products taste even better.

The partnership of Ölz der Meisterbäcker with FAIRTRADE and cocoa farmers in the southern hemisphere represents a sustainable and conscientious investment in our environment as well as in protecting our natural resources. Learn more about FAIRTRADE.
 

The FAIRTRADE partnership that has existed since 2021 has developed into a special collaboration. Fle Victorienne from the Ivory Coast, representing many cocoa farmers, has accompanied Ölz der Meisterbäcker and FAIRTRADE from the very beginning. What began with a photo marking the start of the cooperation between Ölz and FAIRTRADE grew even stronger after a personal encounter. Accompanied by FAIRTRADE Austria, the visit to Fle Victorienne's home town in autumn 2022 made one thing perfectly clear: The real needs of the people can only be seen, experienced and understood on the ground.

Arriving on site, Matthias Krebs (Head of Purchasing) and Doris Wendel (responsible for Ölz sustainability agendas) met many remarkable women who work the fields with their children on their backs. Quite evidently it means arduous manual labour. The wish for technical assistance cropped up repeatedly in discussions with the local women.
 

After the trip, Ölz der Meisterbäcker donated a motorised plough to support the work in the fields. This plough is far more than a technical appliance. It provides education for the children, fresh vegetables for cooking and an additional source of income by selling the surplus produce. The plough represents help for self-help and autonomy.