UK | M&S has partnered with Yeyasso cooperative through a long-term initiative, which will support fairer incomes for cocoa farmers in Côte d'Ivoire, one of its main cocoa sourcing regions in West Africa.
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 directly to farmers, who then direct the funding to projects that build community resilience 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 cocoa farmers in the Yeyasso cooperative, now planting, harvesting, and adapting to a changing climate, the Fairtrade Premium helped her pay towards children’s school fees and supplement her income by selling local produce.
Cocoa farmers like Léontine will also benefit from an additional investment over two years, in addition to 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 Léontine on the inside of the packaging to shine a light on the farmers who produce exceptional-quality cocoa.
“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," said Lucinda Langton, Head of Sustainability at M&S Food.
"This long-term commitment means the cooperative can invest in their communities and adapt to changing weather patterns to protect the future of the cocoa crop for generations of farmers to come.”
Kerrina Thorogood, Partnerships Director at Fairtrade Foundation, was thrilled to be working with M&S as the first UK retailer to join the Shared ImPact initiative.
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.
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