NORTHFIELD, ILL. — Kraft Foods Inc. has extended its commitment to sustainable cocoa farming with the launch of the first mainstream chocolate products in Europe to carry the Rainforest Alliance Certified (R.A.C.) seal.

The program will begin in France and Belgium with the launch of Cote d’Or premium dark chocolate containing the R.A.C. seal. The products then will be rolled out to the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, The Netherlands, Canada and the United States. Kraft said the products eventually will be made available in Sweden, Denmark and Finland under the Marabou brand, and in Austria and Switzerland under the Suchard brand.

By the end of 2012, Kraft said its Cote d’Or and Marabou brands will use only cocoa beans from R.A.C. farms, equal to about 30,000 tons of beans.

"Cote d’Or and Marabou are two of our premium chocolate brands," said Pascal Bourdin, senior vice-president of Kraft Foods and general manager of the company’s European chocolate business. "By using sustainably grown Ivorian cocoa, we can continue to offer the most intense chocolate pleasure to our consumers while improving the lives of cocoa farmers and helping secure high quality cocoa for the longer term."