Stock Highlight: Mondelez International Inc.

Oreo (yes Oreo) , Cadbury, Philadelphia and Ritz – iconic brands that are among Mondelēz’s vast portfolio of well-loved consumer brands across the confectionery, food and beverage categories.

With a history dating back to 1824, the Mondelēz that many are familiar with today was re-born in 2012 when Kraft Foods was split into two companies, with Kraft’s grocery business spun out into Kraft Foods Group (which later became Kraft Heinz Co.) and the snack-food business becoming Mondelēz.

Today, Mondelēz is one of the world’s largest chocolate and confectionery manufacturers with its products enjoyed in over 150 countries. The company holds the No. 1 position in biscuits, chocolate and candy as well as the No. 2 position in gum. In addition to its strong portfolio of brands, what differentiates Mondelēz from others is its massive global presence, scale and value chain, through which it sources significant volumes of various raw materials.

Cocoa is an essential ingredient of chocolate and vital to Mondelēz’s business, so the company spends a great amount of effort to ensure it is ‘made right’. Making it right means tackling the complex challenges that cocoa farmers face, including climate change, gender inequality, poverty and child labour.

To help it achieve this, the company formed Cocoa Life, Mondelēz’s global cocoa sustainability program. Cocoa Life is addressing these challenges on the ground, working hand-in-hand with the men and women who make their living from cocoa, focusing on where it can make a difference: turning cocoa into a business of choice, creating inclusive and empowered communities and educating on forest conservation and restoration.

In doing so, the company is helping to grow opportunities for cocoa farmers and their families, by tackling all of these problems together. By 2025, Mondelēz has committed to sourcing 100% of its cocoa through Cocoa Life.

These efforts, among many others, have contributed to the company’s more favourable ESG rating.