An exhibitor at the Salon du Chocolat for several years now, the NGO Max Havelaar France works to promote a fair-trade cocoa supply chain that respects people and the environment.
Published on Oct 6,2026 at 1:59 PM | Updated on Oct 6,2026 at 2:41 PM
Green and yellow cocoa pods growing on a cacao tree in a plantation
In their plantation, the farmer opens a cocoa pod without knowing how much it will earn them. Their harvest depends on weather conditions, rainfall, the volatility of world market prices, ageing plantations, production costs, and sometimes a simple pest. And yet, everything begins with this pod. It is to address these challenges, largely invisible to most consumers, and to improve the living and working conditions of cocoa farmers, that Max Havelaar France takes action.

Max Havelaar France and its Fairtrade/Max Havelaar fair trade label


A founding member of the international Fairtrade movement, the NGO Max Havelaar France has worked for over 30 years alongside producers and workers in Africa, Latin America, Asia and France to improve their living and working conditions. Based on strict standards, the Fairtrade/Max Havelaar label, managed by Max Havelaar France, relies on economic, social and environmental criteria, verified by an independent certifier: fairer pay, the fight against deforestation, and respect for human rights and working conditions. In France, 105 companies now sell nearly 2,500 Fairtrade/Max Havelaar labelled products containing fair trade cocoa. Max Havelaar is also an NGO that stands alongside producers, with local teams supporting cooperatives on the ground. The full set of label criteria is available on the Max Havelaar France website.

A model designed to address producers' challenges

Given the many challenges facing the cocoa sector, the Fairtrade movement supports more than 500,000 cocoa farmers by guaranteeing a minimum price should cocoa prices fall, along with a development premium that farmers can invest in projects such as developing their farms or improving community infrastructure.

To help farmers adapt to climate change and build resilience, the Fairtrade movement and its three producer networks support cooperatives through training on a wide range of topics, including agroforestry, the production of organic inputs, and pest management, as well as through dedicated programmes such as GAIM (Ghana Agroforestry for Impact), which helps Ghanaian cooperatives adopt agroecological practices and diversify their crops.

Cocoa farmers working on the maintenance of a tropical plantation
Cocoa farmers at work maintaining a tropical plantation Dynamic agroforestry practices introduced through the GAIM programme. Cocoa farmers measure the spacing needed between cocoa trees and the shade and fruit trees to be planted.
Cocoa farmer harvesting a cocoa pod in a plantation surrounded by forest

Encouraging figures

In 2024, more than 330,000 tonnes of cocoa were sold under Fairtrade conditions, 20% more than in 2023 and around 7% of global production. This generated 73.4 million euros in development premiums, including 3.4 million euros generated by Fairtrade cocoa sales in France.

In Côte d'Ivoire, the world's leading cocoa producer, the proportion of cocoa farmers living below the extreme poverty line fell from 36% to 17%, driven by recent price increases.

A shared cause

Choosing a Fairtrade/Max Havelaar labelled chocolate bar means choosing to support a model that benefits producers and helps ensure the sector's long term future.

This is the same conviction that drives us at the Salon: a product is never just its packaging, it tells a story, that of a hand, a terroir, a cooperative, and life journeys. Welcoming Max Havelaar France means shining a light on a committed approach built on practices that respect both human rights and the environment. It also means, at our own level, helping to raise awareness of and give visibility to fair trade principles, as well as the initiatives driving positive change in the sector.

This year at the Salon, Max Havelaar France invites you to its stand (D28) to discover the secrets of cocoa through an experience that is both delicious and educational. Fun activities and tastings will help visitors better understand the challenges of fair trade.

Visit the Salon du Chocolat
Fairtrade Max Havelaar logo representing the fair trade label