- M&S commits to a new long-term initiative with the Yeyasso cooperative in Cote d’Ivoire, one of its main cocoa sourcing regions in West Africa
- The initiative will see a financial investment over two years to improve livelihoods in the region
- Longer-term commitments to cocoa farmers have been set up as part of M&S’s Plan A for Farming, which aims to support farmers not only for today’s farms, but for generations to come
- The Choc Marks bars packaging will now spotlight cocoa farmer Diomandé Léontine from Yeyasso
- The whole M&S Choc Marks range uses Fairtrade cocoa
M&S is partnering with Yeyasso cooperative through a long-term initiative which will support fairer incomes for cocoa farmers in Cote d’Ivoire, one of its main cocoa sourcing regions in West Africa. The initiative has been developed in partnership with Fairtrade, building on M&S’s commitment to ethically sourced cocoa.
M&S Choc Marks bars are already made with Faitrade cocoa, but this new commitment will go further by providing long-term ‘Fairtrade Premium’ support for Yeyasso. The Fairtrade Premium is an additional payment that goes direct to farmers, who direct the funding to projects which build resilience in the community, and protect the natural environment. Projects such as building schools and solar water pumps, training to grow healthier crops, buying tools for pruning and spraying, and planting new seedlings have already begun to make a difference in Yeyasso. For Diomandé Léontine, one of 30 female cocoao farmers in Yeyasso cooperative now planting, harvesting and adapting to a changing climate, the Fairtrade Premium supported her to pay towards children’s school fees and supplement her income by selling local produce.
Cocoa farmers like Diomandé Léontine will also benefit from an additional investment over two years, on top of the Fairtrade Premium. This additional investment made by M&S will ensure cocoa farmers can plan ahead in an increasingly volatile landscape as climate change impacts crop yields and incomes fluctuate with changing prices: topping up the existing Fairtrade premium with this extra investment means the living income for cocoa farmers in the Yeyasso cooperative will be protected regardless of market volatility.
The Choc Marks bars will now feature Diomandé on the inside of the packaging to shine a light on the famers who produce the exceptional quality cocoa.
Lucinda Langton, Head of Sustainability at M&S Food: “At M&S we believe that every person in our supply chain should be paid fairly; cocoa farmers are under pressure to adapt to changing environments and growing demand for exceptional quality, that’s why we are increasing our commitment to fair and ethical sourcing with this investment with the Yeyasso cooperative. This long-term commitment means the cooperative can invest in their communities and adapt to changing weather patterns to protect the future of cocoa crop for generations of farmers to come.”
Kerrina Thorogood, Partnerships Director at Fairtrade Foundation: “Fairtrade Foundation is thrilled to be working with M&S as the first UK retailer to join the Shared ImPact initiative. Their commitment to sourcing from Yeyasso for three years and supporting the Fairtrade Living Income Programme is already making a difference for Yeyasso’s farmers and their communities. We’re grateful for M&S’ continued support for Fairtrade and trust in pioneering new initiatives.
Building more resilient, ethical and sustainable food systems wouldn’t be possible without the support of industry-leading partners. In 2026, M&S and Fairtrade will be calling on more industry leaders to scale Shared ImPact to bring the positive change seen at Yeyasso to even more farmers and workers globally.”