Natra facts for kids

Natra is a big international company that makes and sells yummy chocolate products and cocoa ingredients. They are one of the top companies in Europe for this! Natra mostly makes products for other brands (this is called "private label") and also helps big global brands make their own chocolate treats.

Natra's "Consumer Products" team makes chocolate bars, fancy chocolates (pralines), chocolate spreads, and other chocolate snacks. You can find their products in over 90 countries all around the world!

Natra is also a major company in Spain that processes cocoa beans. They handle about 40% of all the cocoa grinding in Spain. Their "Ingredients" team provides things like cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate coatings to other food companies worldwide.

About 75% of Natra's sales come from outside Spain. They have six factories: two in Spain, two in Belgium, one in France, and one in Canada. They also have offices in Europe, America, and Asia.

How Natra Started and Grew

In 1943, three young chemists from Valencia, Spain, named Arturo Benlloch, Juan Ferrándiz, and Álvaro Faubel, discovered a special way to get something called theobromine from cocoa. Theobromine is a natural chemical found in cocoa, similar to caffeine. This discovery led to the creation of Natra!

In 1951, Natra started making and selling cocoa products. Their very first factory was built in Mislata, Valencia.

In 2004, Natra bought another Spanish company called Zahor. This helped Natra start making finished chocolate products for people to buy. Zahor already had many customers in Europe and had just bought a factory in France that made chocolate bars.

A year later, in 2005, Natra bought Chocolaterie Jacali in Belgium. This allowed Natra to offer even more types of chocolates, especially famous Belgian chocolates.

In 2007, Natra bought All Crump, also in Belgium. This created a new part of the company focused on making chocolate spreads.

From 2012 onwards, Natra started to grow its consumer products business even more outside of Europe, especially in America and Asia.

In 2017-2018, Natra began a new plan to help the company grow in a sustainable way. This plan brought in new ways of working and a new management team.

In 2020, Natra invested €20.9 million to make their factories in Valencia (Spain) and Malle (Belgium) more modern. In 2021, they invested €25 million in their Saint Etienne factory in France. This greatly increased how much industrial chocolate they could make in that area.

Natra Today and Tomorrow

Natra celebrated its 80th birthday in 2023! The company is always changing to keep up with new market trends and what customers want. They are also focused on growing in a sustainable way.

Natra is a member of the Rainforest Alliance. This group helps make sure cocoa is produced in a way that protects the environment and supports farmers. Natra also belongs to the UN Global Compact, which works to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) around the world. Natra has an ISO 20400 certificate, which means they buy their raw materials in a responsible way.

The company also has important certificates for tracking where their food comes from and making sure it's safe to eat. These include well-known international standards like BRC, IFS, and FSSC 22000. These certificates guarantee that Natra's products are high quality and safe for customers.

Natra also has special certificates for certain products. For example, they have Kosher and Halal certifications for specific markets. They also have fair trade and organic product certificates, showing their commitment to good practices. In 2022, Natra earned the B-Corp certification. This means they are the first chocolate producer that doesn't sell under its own brand to join the B-Corp community, showing their positive impact on society and the environment.

See also

In Spanish: Natra para niños