Cooperation in Brazil

Olivio Trzeciak presents “his“ Zotter chocolate in Altamira
Darcirio Vronski is tossing the cocoa beans
Vera Tabosa is in charge of fermentation and roasting

Since 2008 Josef Zotter has purchased a part of his required cocoa beans from the Brazilian Amazon Basin, the worldwide largest unspoilt area of woods. In the east of Amazonia several hundred thousands of Brazilians from other regions settled down along the “Transamazonica”, a major road which was built in the sixties. Since that time the region has been suffering from the increasing and ongoing forest destruction due to deforestation and the ecologic damages to flora and fauna arising from this.
And this is where organic cocoa comes into play. As a type of agroforestry it makes a contribution to the protection of the natural sources, improves climate and soil and has become an enormously important economic factor in this area.
The cooperative COPOAM  Medicilândia is one of seven cooperatives which have devoted themselves to organic cocoa. They are supported and accompanied by the foundation “Viver Produzir a Preservar“ in Altamir. This non-profit organisation assists the cooperative in questions concerning cultivation, certification (IMO Fair for Life) and the collective sale of organic cocoa.

The work of our cocoa-farming families Trzeciak, Vronski or Ferreira enables them to protect the rainforest and secures them an income. Read more about this in the report which was written down by Helmut Weiss from the German Development Service Brazil after having an interview with the farmers Elis Trzeciak and Linde Nobre.

From the Amazon to Riegersburg – visit of the Brazilian cocoa farmers at the Chocolate Factory

During his last visit to Brazil Josef Zotter invited the cocoa farmers for a return visit. Now they have accepted this invitation: Supported by the German Development Service and accompanied by Helmut Weiß, Brazilian cocoa farmers who deliver the aromatic organic cocoa for Josef Zotter will come to Riegersburg in February.

At the factory the farmers may experience first hand how their beans are transformed into an aromatic chocolate and which know-how is used for that. Here they will find out how important their work in the rainforest of the Amazon Basin is for the quality of the Zotter products. Their programme will not only include an exchange of experiences, but also visits to organic farms throughout the region. And of course the farmers won’t miss out on celebrations!