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Mars reported that its suppliers sourced a volume equal to 98% of the cocoa and cocoa ingredients needed for Mars-branded products in 2025 through its Responsibly Sourced Cocoa program. That was up from 81% in 2024, but short of the company’s 100% goal; Mars cited volatility in global cocoa markets.
Mars said suppliers sourced cocoa and cocoa ingredients equal to 98% of the amount needed for its branded products in 2025 through its responsible sourcing program, up from 81% in 2024 but short of the company’s 100% target. The confectionery and food company cited volatility in global cocoa markets in its annual progress report.
The figure measures the volume of cocoa and cocoa ingredients procured through the Responsibly Sourced Cocoa program against the amount needed for Mars-branded products. It does not mean that 98% of individual farms, suppliers or products were certified; the report describes a volume-based measure. Mars said its program requires suppliers to source cocoa from land that has not been deforested or converted from another natural ecosystem.
In its Cocoa for Generations Progress Report, Mars said it was proud of the progress despite falling short of its 2025 targets. The company pointed to significant volatility in global cocoa markets. The report’s stated result is a marked year-on-year increase, but it does not provide, in the supplied material, a breakdown of the remaining 2% by source, country or reason for not being covered by the program.
Mars also reported other cocoa-supply efforts during 2025. It began a climate-smart agriculture program with suppliers in the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Peru, which the company said helped 430 farmers build resilience, improve soil health and raise crop yields. In Latin America, Mars said it released Cocoascan, an AI-powered tool intended to help farmers identify three cocoa diseases: Witches’ Broom, Frosty Pod and Black Pod.
The Remaining Gap in Mars’ Cocoa Supply
The 98% result shows that Mars increased the share of its cocoa needs covered by the program, while also leaving the company short of a public target tied to its supply chain. For consumers, the report concerns how a key chocolate ingredient is sourced and the company’s progress on a commitment involving deforestation and ecosystem conversion. The figures are company-reported, and they do not independently establish the environmental conditions on every farm supplying Mars.
Supply volatility matters to the effort because it can affect availability and procurement. The source report linked the wider market disruption to a global cocoa shortage and said cocoa prices reached $10,710 per metric ton in January 2025. That is the price peak cited by the report, not a measure of Mars’ own costs or the price paid to individual farmers. The shortfall also leaves a practical question for the company: how it will cover the remaining portion of its cocoa needs under the program.
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Mars’ Cocoa Commitment and Farm Programs
Mars has published an annual progress report since 2018, when it pledged to spend $1 billion over 10 years to improve the sustainability of its cocoa supply chain. The 2025 sourcing result is part of that longer-running effort, rather than a standalone change in purchasing policy. The supplied report does not say that the 2025 target has been formally replaced or specify a revised deadline for reaching full coverage.
The company’s reported projects also address farming conditions and supply resilience. In Indonesia, Mars and its suppliers said they educated farmers on modern growing techniques. The company also worked with Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency to release two cocoa clones intended to increase yields in Indonesia and Brazil. These initiatives accompany the sourcing program; the available material does not quantify how much they contributed to the 98% result.
“While our progress in 2025 fell slightly short of our 100% targets for the 2025 goals, we are proud of our progress in these areas, particularly given the significant volatility in global cocoa markets this past year.”
— Mars, in its Cocoa for Generations Progress Report
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What the 98% Figure Does Not Show
The report summary does not explain what accounted for the remaining 2%, whether the gap resulted from supply availability, documentation or other factors, or whether Mars expects to reach 100% in a later year. It also does not provide a country-by-country sourcing breakdown or independent verification details for the overall figure. The 98% measure is described as a volume equivalent for cocoa and ingredients needed in 2025, not as the percentage of farms or products meeting a separate certification standard.
The supplied material also offers no updated timetable for the wider 10-year, $1 billion commitment beyond the 2025 progress report. Mars’ reference to market volatility is the company’s explanation; the available details do not quantify how much that volatility affected its sourcing coverage.
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Mars’ Next Cocoa Progress Update
Mars’ next annual progress report should provide the next public opportunity to assess whether the company has closed the sourcing gap and how it is measuring progress. The supplied material does not state when that report will be released or announce a new deadline for the 100% target. Until then, the confirmed position is that program-covered sourcing rose to 98% of the volume needed in 2025, while the company missed its stated goal.
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Key Questions
What was Mars’ cocoa sourcing result for 2025?
Mars said suppliers procured cocoa and cocoa ingredients through its responsible sourcing program equal to 98% of the volume needed for Mars-branded products in 2025.
Did Mars meet its 2025 target?
No. The company set a 100% target and reported that it fell short, reaching 98% by its volume-based measure.
How did the result compare with 2024?
Mars reported coverage of 81% in 2024, compared with 98% in 2025. The report presents those figures as the respective shares of cocoa and ingredients needed covered by the program.
What does Mars’ responsible sourcing program require?
Mars said suppliers must obtain cocoa from land that has not been deforested or converted from another natural ecosystem. The reported percentage refers to sourcing volume, not the share of farms or products.
Why did Mars say it missed the target?
Mars cited volatility in global cocoa markets. The supplied report does not quantify the effect on the company’s sourcing or give a detailed explanation of the remaining 2%.
Source: rss
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