ofi surpasses cocoa sustainability milestones, strengthens farmer resilience and long-term supply security
ofi reports progress on emissions reduction and living income targets as it boosts resilience across global cocoa farming communities.
GLOBAL – ofi (Olam Food Ingredients), a global supplier of natural food and beverage ingredients, is strengthening resilience in cocoa farming communities as part of efforts to secure a sustainable, long-term cocoa supply for manufacturers worldwide.
In its Cocoa Compass Impact Report 2024, ofi reported it exceeded its cocoa greenhouse gas (GHG) Natural Capital Cost reduction milestone for the year, achieving a 12% reduction per tonne of output compared with its 2018 baseline. The milestone forms part of the company’s wider cocoa sustainability strategy running through to 2030.
The report also confirmed that ofi reached its 2030 cocoa living income target in collaboration with customers and partners. A total of 155,000 cocoa farmers earned a living income in 2024, representing 45% of participants in ofi’s global cocoa sustainability programmes.
Andrew Brooks, global head of cocoa sustainability at ofi, said continued investment in farm-level engagement and ingredient innovation is helping reduce supply chain risks.
He noted that the company’s integrated business model supports the delivery of sustainable, high-quality cocoa ingredients while meeting evolving consumer expectations.
Brooks said the progress recorded aligns with ofi’s broader sustainability strategy, Choices for Change, and reinforces its ambition to be a preferred partner for responsible sourcing. He added that maintaining momentum toward 2030 remains a priority amid increasing uncertainty from climate change and volatile commodity markets.
The Cocoa Compass Impact Report marks the midpoint between ofi’s 2018 baseline and its 2030 targets. Other achievements in 2024 included the cumulative distribution of 9.8 million trees through agroforestry programmes, annual training of 257,000 farmers in good agricultural practices, and livelihood support provided to 320,000 cocoa farmers.
In addition, ofi supported six active landscape partnerships during the year and provided education assistance to 40,000 children in cocoa-growing communities. These initiatives aim to strengthen farming systems while improving social outcomes across supply regions.
The company noted that farmer incomes remain highly sensitive to weather conditions and global market prices. Sharp cocoa price increases in 2024 helped lift many farmers to living income levels, although ofi cautioned that future price declines could reverse these gains.
ofi uses living income as a benchmark to guide long-term interventions, combining market-linked income improvements with sustained livelihood support. According to the company, resilience efforts focus on enabling farmers to better withstand market volatility and climate-related shocks over multiple years.
Natural capital performance improvements were driven by reduced land-use change emissions and carbon sequestration from cocoa and forest trees planted under agroforestry systems.
Brooks said closer collaboration among industry players, governments and NGOs is essential to address challenges such as crop disease and deforestation, particularly in West Africa, while balancing the needs of farmers, manufacturers and consumers.
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