If you are already trading up consumers with premium positioning, you are more likely to be able to cover the investment in sustainability. Premium chocolate consumers also value sustainability and associate it with high quality ingredients, so it can elevate the perception of your premium products. 

For confectionery, this can be your dark chocolate products, where consumers understand there is more cocoa in the ingredients. For segments like ice cream or cookies, it might be your double-chocolate variant, which has the most chocolate in your range. Communicating cocoa sustainability where it is most relevant for consumers, means it is focused, and you can test-and-learn before rolling out more broadly. 

Whether you are a retailer with a private label brand, or a co-manufacturer with your own brand, it is good to start your sustainability journey where you have control and can lead by example to encourage your suppliers or customers to follow suit.

Even where sustainability isn’t requested in an RFP or brief, it can be advantageous to include it as an optional upgrade. The recipient might not have considered sustainability in their initial project scoping, but might be surprised at the affordable options available to be able to claim sustainable cocoa relative to other product claims, and the ability to demand a higher price point. You can help your customer take a pioneering step on their sustainability journey, which can become a long-term source of growth, company pride and employee engagement.