What are relevant certifications for cocoa export in Netherlands?

Cocoa importers in the Netherlands will ask for a range of certifications from their suppliers depending on the position of the supplier in the value chain. When exporting raw cocoa beans, standard quality principles apply such as the obligatory HACCP, but also any other GFSI related quality standard could be useful. Common voluntary standards focused on agricultural principles are GLOBAL GAP, Rainforest Alliance, and UTZ.

Besides the qualitative and agricultural certifications, there has been an increasing focus on fair labor practices within supply chains and consumers are more and more expecting full transparency. Therefore, certifications such as Fairtrade, SMETA, Procert, or SGS could support a positive position in the market.