EUDR – Traceability all the way back to the plantation

What does the EUDR regulation mean for those of you who work with cocoa products?

EU requirements affect the entire cocoa supply chain

The EUDR regulation has been a long time coming. The EU legislation aims to ensure that certain raw materials are not associated with deforestation or forest degradation.

Cocoa is one of the seven raw materials directly covered by the legal requirement, and this affects the entire supply chain, right down to those of you who use cocoa powder in the production of end products.

Even though cocoa powder is a processed raw material, the requirements still apply. Full traceability must be documented from the plantation to the finished product. This means new expectations for origin, geolocation and documentation.

Cocoa powder is no exception

According to EUDR, all cocoa products, including cocoa powder, must be traceable back to the specific plantation where the beans were grown.

This requires precise knowledge of geolocation and documentation that the cultivation has been carried out legally and without deforestation.

The requirements also apply even if you do not import the cocoa powder directly yourself. Responsibility and documentation requirements apply throughout the supply chain.

You must therefore ensure that you can document origin and traceability down to plantation level. This places stricter requirements on both your own procedures and on all your partners.

What do you need to keep track of when purchasing cocoa powder?

The legislation requires you to be able to document the cocoa powder's journey from origin to product. This means:

That your supplier must provide geolocation and a declaration of legal and sustainable production.
That you must know the supply chain.
That documentation must be available to be presented upon request from the authorities.

EUDR is therefore also an opportunity to strengthen the credibility of the product and ensure that the supply chain is transparent and robust.

The deadline for implementation is approaching

The deadline for EUDR implementation is the turn of the year, and at Procudan we are ready.

We have worked closely with our supplier to ensure that the cocoa powder we supply meets the requirements. This has required adjustments to both processes and IT systems, but we are ready with the necessary documentation.

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October 2025: Possible changes on the way

The European Commission has presented a proposal to amend the EUDR Regulation. It proposes significant relaxations, including a partial postponement, simpler due diligence requirements and exemptions for certain companies.

We are following developments closely and adapting, so you can safely purchase cocoa powder from us.

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