The world’s best chocolate is made from the world’s best ingredients. As a master chocolatier and a Swiss grand cru pioneer, using fresh, natural cacao of outstanding quality is our top priority. That’s why we promote sustainable and responsible production, right from where the whole process begins – with the people who grow the fine cacao. We ensure fair working conditions and are committed to improving cacao farmers’ quality of life.
Professional healthcare in the countries of origin of grand cru chocolate
Access to basic medical care is often difficult in the rural cacao growing areas, and the costs can threaten the livelihood of farming families. By funding health insurance premiums and covering additional treatments and medicines, we help cacao farmers and their families access professional healthcare in four of our Grand Cru countries of origin.
All four projects are tailored to the medical needs of cacao farmers in each country. Find out more about the projects in Madagascar, Ghana, Venezuela and Ecuador here.
In Sur del Lago, Venezuela, we are ensuring that cacao farming families have uninterrupted access to important medication.
Salud sur del Lago
In Ecuador, Sprüngli has been supporting the cacao farmers who grow fine Arriba cacao in the Esmeraldas region.
Salud Esmeraldas
In the Suhum region of Ghana, we cover healthcare costs for the farmers who supply our fine Forastero cacao.
Akwaaba
In the Sambirano River valley in Madagascar, Sprüngli helped set up a healthcare project that is now self-sufficient.
Salama Mateza
All the projects are collaborations with Sprüngli’s long-standing partner Max Felchlin AG. The German social enterprise Elucid GmbH is handling the local development work as well as the technical implementation of the insurance and project certificates and payments. Through Elucid, Sprüngli can monitor the measurable successes of the projects and report them transparently.
Long-standing partnership with Max Felchlin AG
Max Felchlin AG in Ibach-Schwyz is a long-standing partner of and supplier to Sprüngli. Felchlin procures the raw materials directly from selected cacao cooperatives in line with FAIR DIRECT CACAO principles and ensures the fine cacao beans meet the high quality standards and ethical principles of Confiserie Sprüngli.
Promoting sustainability with Sprüngli shopping bags
Sprüngli has been charging a symbolic price of 10 centimes for every shopping bag since 2020. With this initiative, Sprüngli hopes to contribute to more conscious use of natural resources and is also donating all of the proceeds fully to our social projects in Ghana, Ecuador and Venezuela.
Find out more about how we are committed to sustainability in individual areas
Value chain
We are committed to long-term, sustainable business practices, and we also require this from our partners.
Find out more
Sprüngli obtains the fine aromatic Arriba cacao for its Grand Cru Esmeraldas chocolate from the Esmeraldas province of Ecuador. The farmers plant the cacao fruit in dense rainforest in accordance with strict sustainability criteria and pick it carefully by hand. Sprüngli is willing to pay fair prices above the market rate for the high quality of the beans. The family-run company is also actively committed to helping cacao farmers and their families access healthcare.
Salud Esmeraldas – health insurance for cacao farmers
To help improve healthcare and the financial situation for cacao farming families, Sprüngli is covering the costs of health insurance contributions for over 400 families from the Esmeraldas region. Their treatment is also covered in the event of acute illnesses or accidents. Sprüngli also covers the healthcare costs for pregnant women as well as postnatal care for mother and child.
In autumn 2023, work began on registering all farmers and local health centres for the project in Esmeraldas. The ‘Salud Esmeraldas’ project will begin operating in January 2024 and farmers will be able to use their insurance certificate to claim treatments free of charge. We will then begin reporting regularly on the project’s progress and results here and on our social media channels.
Grand Cru Esmeraldas made from flavourful Arriba cacao
The province of Esmeraldas in Ecuador is the original source of the aromatic Arriba cacao beans. The fine cacao feels very much at home in hot, humid areas and needs plenty of shade as well as rain. Sprüngli turns the Arriba beans into exclusive chocolate indulgence – an intense taste with coffee and prune flavours and slight, floral note of cassis.
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Healthcare for cacao farmers
Sprüngli is involved in the provision of professional healthcare in various countries where its grand cru cacao originates. Find out more about all our projects in Madagascar, Ghana, Ecuador and Venezuela here.
View all projects
Find out more about how we are improving sustainability in specific areas
Value chain
We are committed to long-term, sustainable business practices, and we also require this from our partners.
Find out more
