Natra adds Colombian cocoa to its products of origin for private label brands

NATRA, food company leader in the manufacturing and commercialization of products derived from cocoa and chocolate, has acquired the first harvest of cocoa produced by the Colombian cooperatives that have taken part in the program of restructuring of cultivation - which have passed from cultivating coca of illegal form to cultivate cocoa-impelled by the International Development agency of the United States (Usaid) and Social Action of the government of Colombia. Natra, which has in the Valencian Natracacao, the biggest grinder of cocoa in Spain, will receive 50 tons of Colombian cocoa, considered of high quality due to its cleanliness and refined aroma. This purchasing means a new origin in the range of products, in addition to the cocoa of origin from Peru, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic, which Natra currently elaborates for more than 60 countries worldwide. This cocoa harvest has been produced by the Colombian cooperatives Aprocasur, Cortipaz and Asoprolan, which agglutinate nearly 1,100 peasants that have been working throughout the last few years to return 4,500 hectares of cultivation of coca into legal cultivation of cocoa, capable of competing in quality and price in the international market.