The five-year collaboration will support 960 farmers adopting regenerative practices in Ecuador, aiming to cut cocoa emissions and strengthen supply chain resilience.
Mars and ofi (Olam Food Ingredients) have launched a five-year collaboration to accelerate climate-smart cocoa farming in Ecuador as part of their shared ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
Running from 2025 to 2029, the partnership will support more than 960 cocoa farmers across Ecuador’s key producing regions – El Oro, Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí and Santo Domingo – to implement regenerative agriculture practices across more than 9,000 hectares of farmland.
The initiative aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the cocoa supply chain while boosting productivity and strengthening farmer resilience, supporting Mars’ broader Net Zero Roadmap commitments and ofi’s climate action targets.
Building on our long-standing collaboration in cocoa sourcing, this effort demonstrates our belief that when companies share common goals, they can deepen cooperation and drive more meaningful impact at scale.
We value ofi’s ongoing commitment to helping Mars realize our vision of a more modern, inclusive, and sustainable cocoa ecosystem that can support farmers and the environment.”
Benjamin Guilbert, Global Vice President, Cocoa at Mars
Farmers involved in the programme will transition from full-sun monoculture systems to multistrata agroforestry models designed to mimic natural forest ecosystems. These systems are intended to increase cocoa production while supporting biodiversity, including microorganisms and pollinators, and providing natural protection against pests and disease.
Additional measures include introducing low-carbon fertilisers, improving crop residue management and applying biochar to improve soil health. Together, the interventions are designed to enhance soil quality, increase CO₂ removals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving cocoa yields.
Approximately 4,800 people in surrounding cocoa-growing communities are also expected to benefit from the on-farm investments.
Mars says partnerships such as this are essential to delivering credible progress towards its net zero target across the full value chain by 2050, measured against a 2015 baseline.
Driving lower-carbon cocoa through regenerative farming
The project builds on more than 15 years of collaboration between Mars and ofi on sustainable cocoa sourcing globally, including a decade of joint work in Ecuador. Both companies’ net zero ambitions are validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Together with Mars, we’re scaling up regenerative practices like agroforestry and biochar in Ecuador aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions and helping to secure the future supply of cocoa.
By making these practices more accessible to farmers, we hope to reduce barriers for implementation and costly inputs, while opening new income opportunities that can make a real difference to building more resilient livelihoods.
Our latest climate action collaboration with Mars is sparked by our shared, science based net zero ambitions to create change for a stronger food system so we can continue to enjoy the chocolate products we all love.
Working jointly in Ecuador for 10 years, we’re developing local insights to help accelerate positive impact for the people and landscapes vital for cocoa.”
Andrew Brooks, Head of Cocoa Sustainability at ofi
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