WE CAN ALL ACT FOR A FAIR AND SUSTAINABLE COCOA SECTOR & FOR INCLUSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE GASTRONOMY.
The Valrhona Foundation is a non-profit organization that funds and manages public interest projects.
Our adventure began in 2006, when a group of Valrhona employees decided to go above and beyond what their jobs required of them. They may have had different aspirations in the development of ethical, fair projects, but when it comes to their convictions, there was one common denominator: taste. They initially established projects in the Drôme Valley, at the regional level. From there, the Valrhona Foundation was born.
In 2019, the Foundation expanded, enabling all those who wished (employees, customers, suppliers, foodies, etc.) to get involved in implementing international initiatives for gastronomy and the cocoa sector.
We act for a fair and sustainable cocoa sector, and a responsible and inclusive gastronomy
The issues of the cocoa industry are well known: child labor, deforestation, community living conditions, etc. Our actions in the sector aim to have a positive impact on cocoa producer communities by responding to their needs as best as possible.
For a fair and sustainable cocoa sector, we finance projects in line with the UN’s sustainable development goals.
This kind of gastronomy is mindful of living things, of humans and the planet, focusing on sustainable agricultural practices and seasonal ingredients. It also respects people by feeding them well and embracing them in all their diversity. Finally, it passes down the passion for gastronomy to the next generations.
Between 2019 and 2022, 20 projects will be financed in 7 countries, for 23,500 beneficiaries. 1,209,244 in donations were received, 88% of which were financed by Valrhona.
Discover some of the projects run by the Valrhona Solidarity Fund.
Graines de Pâtissier is a pre-apprenticeship program that gives young people who haven’t been able to get into the job market a chance to try out the role of pastry chef and find a potential mentor for their apprenticeship
Supported by second chance schools (E2C), young people alternate between courses, traineeships, and immersion at partner training centers. Young people will learn pastry making basics and terminology and meet professionals before starting, if they wish, their traineeships.
This program, underway in 13 French cities, aims to create partnerships between young people with a professional objective and craftspeople looking for reliable and motivated apprentices.
“Whether they are French or from abroad, with baggage or experiencing hardship or not, let’s give them a chance, or perhaps several chances.”
Gilles Marchal, pastry chef, Pâtisserie Gilles Marchal
“I liked discovering the profession because what you see on TV and what you experience is completely different.”
Hana, 2021 cohort
This Creole-style mixed crop garden program had already been allocated €188,000, and the results were very encouraging. Therefore, the Valrhona Foundation decided to commit to the 2021-2023 triennial.
This project is a continuation of actions and studies already carried out between 2017 and 2020 by Valrhona.
The objective of this project is to sustainably improve the living conditions of producers by regenerating their cocoa plots. The regeneration of plots is carried out by pruning, grafting, replacing cacao trees, introducing food crops and fruit trees, and composting. These techniques make it possible to obtain a greater yield per plot and diversify producer income sources.
The project also aims to synthesize these approaches and develop a national agro-ecological cocoa farming model so that as many Haitian families as possible can undertake these actions within their plots.
This entrepreneurial project aimed at women in the Pona-Ouinlo community made it possible to build a barn, buy 1,000 hens, and train women in farm management.
This endeavor created 30 jobs, contributing to women’s empowerment and income diversification through selling eggs and chickens for consumption. The farm also contributes to the community’s food sovereignty. In addition, chicken droppings are used as natural fertilizers for cocoa planting, reducing the use of chemical fertilizers.
“We collect 22 trays of eggs per day. One tray contains 30 eggs. This allows us to do business, and I can run my farm on the side.”
Marie-Laure, poultry farm beneficiary
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