Sustainability isn't an afterthought for us โ it's the foundation. Every decision we make, from soil to shelf, is guided by our commitment to the planet and the communities that share it with us.
At Terroir Cocoa, sustainability is woven into every layer of our operation. We operate under a regenerative agriculture model that doesn't merely sustain โ it actively restores the ecosystems we depend on. Our cacao agroforests are designed to mimic natural forest ecosystems, supporting biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and soil regeneration.
We publish annual sustainability reports with audited data, full supply chain mapping, and third-party verified impact metrics. We believe that accountability is the cornerstone of genuine commitment. Every dollar you spend on our chocolate directly funds our regenerative programs and fair compensation for our farming community.
Everything we do falls under five interconnected pillars of environmental and social responsibility.
We've achieved carbon neutrality across our entire value chain โ from farming and processing to packaging and distribution. Our renewable energy infrastructure and verified carbon offset programs ensure every bar is climate-positive.
Our "Five for One" planting initiative ensures that for every cacao tree harvested, five new trees of diverse species are planted. We maintain a protected canopy of native trees across our estate, creating wildlife corridors and natural pest management systems.
Our rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling systems capture over 2 million gallons annually. We've implemented drip irrigation across our plantations, reducing water usage by 60% while improving crop health and bean quality.
Our agroforestry systems support over 200 species of birds, 45 species of beneficial insects, and numerous endangered flora. We've created protected wildlife corridors connecting our estate to adjacent conservation areas.
We've built schools, a medical clinic, and a vocational training center for our farming community. All workers receive living wages 3x the regional minimum, along with comprehensive healthcare, education scholarships, and profit-sharing dividends.
Our closed-loop system ensures zero waste to landfill. Cacao husks become compost and biofuel, wastewater is purified and reused, and our packaging is 100% compostable or recyclable. We're working toward plastic-neutral certification.
Our journey to climate neutrality and the strategies that drive our ongoing carbon-negative impact.
Carbon neutrality wasn't a destination for us โ it was a launchpad. After achieving net-zero emissions in 2022, we shifted our focus to becoming carbon-negative, removing more COโ from the atmosphere than our operations produce.
A decade-by-decade look at our reforestation efforts and growing forest canopy.
The Delacroix family plants their first cacao trees on a small plot in the Napo Valley highlands. The trees are interplanted with banana, citrus, and native shade trees โ the foundation of our agroforestry philosophy.
Estate expands to 40 acres. We begin planting native canopy species โ ceiba, mahogany, and fig trees โ creating the multi-layered forest canopy that our cacao thrives under. Biodiversity surveys reveal 80+ new species.
We launch our community reforestation initiative, training neighboring farms in agroforestry techniques and providing free seedlings. The program spreads to three additional villages in the Ecuadorian highlands.
Our trees collectively sequester more carbon than our entire operation emits. We achieve carbon-negative certification from Gold Standard and begin partnering with other chocolate makers to scale agroforestry.
Over 37 years of planting, our cumulative tree count surpasses 250,000. We've protected 500 acres of forest, created wildlife corridors across the Napo Valley, and become a model for regenerative cacao farming worldwide.
Our cacao agroforests are thriving ecosystems, supporting an extraordinary diversity of life.
Over 200 bird species have been recorded on our estate, including the rare Ecuadorian motmot and the scarlet macaw. Our canopy structure provides year-round nesting and feeding habitat.
Midges, bees, and butterflies thrive in our diverse floral understory. These natural pollinators are essential for cacao flowering and ensure the health of the entire ecosystem.
Our companion planting strategy supports natural pest predators, eliminating the need for chemical pesticides. Ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps maintain ecological balance.
Wildlife corridors connect our estate to adjacent forest reserves, allowing jaguarundi, tamandua, and howler monkeys to move freely through our land as part of the larger conservation landscape.
Our understory includes over 40 species of flowering plants, ferns, and medicinal herbs. This botanical richness builds resilient soil and supports the cacao's microclimate.
Mycorrhizal fungi networks, earthworms, and beneficial bacteria create incredibly fertile soil. Our composting program returns all organic matter to the earth, closing the nutrient loop.
Our integrated water management system captures, purifies, and returns more water than we use.
Water is the lifeblood of our farm and the surrounding communities. Our holistic water management approach treats every drop as a precious resource โ capturing it when abundant, conserving it when scarce, and returning it cleaner than we found it.
Our three-tier system begins with our 2-acre rainwater catchment network, which channels monsoon and seasonal rainfall into underground storage tanks. From there, greywater from our processing facility passes through constructed wetlands and bio-sand filters before being returned to the local watershed.
We've also drilled community wells that serve 12 neighboring villages, providing clean drinking water to over 4,000 people year-round.
95% of processing wastewater purified through constructed wetlands and reused
60% reduction in water usage through precision drip systems across all cacao groves
Clean water access for 12 villages, serving 4,000+ residents daily
Sustainability means nothing without equity. Every person in our supply chain deserves dignity, fair pay, and opportunity.
Every farmer and worker in our supply chain receives a verified living wage โ three times the regional minimum โ with quarterly profit-sharing dividends based on farm performance.
We've built two schools on our estate with free tuition for all farming families. Our scholarship fund supports university education for the children of our workers, with 47 graduates to date.
Our on-site medical clinic provides free primary care, dental services, and mental health support to all workers and their families. Annual health screenings and emergency evacuation coverage included.
Our farming community elects a cooperative council that makes decisions about resource allocation, development projects, and sustainability investments. No decisions are made without their consent.
Our closed-loop system transforms every byproduct into value, achieving 98% waste diversion from landfills.
Processed into artisanal juices, ferments, and natural food colorings. Sold as value-added products generating additional income for our cooperative.
Dried and processed into biomass fuel for our roasting operations, and as compost amendment returning nutrients to our cacao groves.
100% compostable or recyclable. We use recycled paper, plant-based inks, and reusable tin containers for our premium lines.
Purified through constructed wetlands and bio-filters. 95% is recycled for irrigation; the remaining 5% meets safe discharge standards.
Only 2% of our operational waste goes to landfill โ and that's from unavoidable industrial processes. We're targeting 99.5% by 2026 through expanded composting and anaerobic digestion systems. Our goal is landfill-zero certification within three years.
Sustainability is a journey, not a destination. Here are our measurable commitments for the coming years.
Achieve verified plastic-neutral status across all packaging and distribution, eliminating all single-use plastics from our supply chain.
Double our cumulative tree planting through expansion of our community reforestation program across three additional countries.
Achieve complete waste diversion across our farm, factory, and offices with third-party landfill-zero certification.
Launch direct-air-capture partnership to remove 5,000 metric tons of COโ annually, making us the first carbon-removing chocolate company.
Transition 51% of farm ownership to the cooperative of farming families, making Terroir Cocoa worker-owned for the first time in our history.
Launch our open-source regenerative cacao farming curriculum, training 1,000 farms globally in our agroforestry model by year's end.
Every claim we make is backed by independent verification and industry-recognized certifications.