Using certified sustainable palm oil no longer good enough, says WWF

Using palm oil certified as sustainable under the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is no longer enough to ensure companies are acting responsibly, claims the WWF following the adoption...

UTZ Certified cocoa volumes double after industry commitments

Sale volumes of UTZ certified cocoa have grown exponentially in the past year driven by commitments by major players such as Mars, Hershey and Ferrero to source 100% sustainable cocoa.

Cocoa processing migrating to origin, says ADM

Cocoa processing is increasingly moving to origin countries, particularly those in regions where chocolate consumption is rising such as Brazil and Indonesia, according to ADM Cocoa’s head of innovation.

Fair Trade USA: Draft policy changes no hoax

Fair Trade USA claims that draft changes to its labeling policy allowing brands with 20% certified ingredients to carry its logo are justified in composite products like chocolate because components...

Ecuadorian cocoa wins vote of ADM and Cargill R&D chiefs

On a recent site visit, ADM Cocoa and Cargill both agreed that cocoa beans from Ecuadorian origin were the best tasting for chocolate.

News in brief

Asian cocoa grind falls 10.8%

Cocoa grinds in Asia were widely expected to rise but have declined sharply by 10.8% in the first quarter of 2013 compared to last year.

News in brief

Mondelez and Callebaut up cocoa sustainability efforts

Mondelez International and Barry Calleabut have announced two projects within their broader commitments to cocoa sustainability.

Still growth in US chocolate as North America cocoa grind rises 6% - Mintel

The North American cocoa grind has risen 5.77% in the first of quarter (Q1) compared to last year, leading one analyst to say there is still room for growth in...

European Q1 cocoa grind lowest since 2009

Europe’s first quarter (Q1) cocoa grind slumped 3.9% on last year as the debt crisis hampered chocolate demand in struggling economies.

Large fertilizer shipment to Ivory Coast expected to double cocoa yields

A 10,000 ton shipment of fertilizer arrived in the principal cocoa growing nation Ivory Coast today as part of an industry-backed initiative to double productivity on cocoa farms.

EU sugar deficit will not grow, says Euromonitor

The EU’s sugar quota fell three million metric tons short of demand in 2012 leading to an 11% price hike, but the deficit is not expected to increase due to...

EU sugar quotas should go by 2017, says Council of the EU

The Council of the European Union last night issued a mandate to scrap EU sugar quotas by 2017 and a final decision is now set for June.

Cocoa child labor: Story so far

Industry pledges reach $10m on cocoa child labor but ‘job is not done’

The industry has pledged $10m in new funds since 2010 to eliminate the worst forms of child labor, but a newly released report says the job is far from over.

Big Vote - CAP Reform

EU sugar quotas extended to 2020

EU sugar quotas will remain in place in Europe until 2020 after a vote on Common Agricultural Policy reforms (CAP) in European Parliament today.

Norwegian fund pulls out of 'unsustainable' palm oil companies

Norway’s US$710bn sovereign investment fund has pulled its investment from 23 Southeast Asian palm oil companies, claiming that they source palm oil unsustainably.

News in brief

WCF awarded grant for CocoaMap project

The World Cocoa Foundation has been handed a grant to develop bio indicators measuring the progress of global cocoa sustainability.

Nearly half extra EU sugar allowance already approved for 2013

The European Commission’s sugar management committee has approved nearly half of the extra sugar allowed to be released on the EU market this year – a total of 584,000 tonnes...

Cocoa deficit in 2013 no cause for concern, says ICCO

The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) has said that chocolate manufacturers needn’t panic by its forecasted deficit for the 2012/13 crop season.

News in brief

Cargill to up cocoa capacity at Brazilian plant

Cargill plans to increase its cocoa processing capacity by 25% at its plant in Ilhéus, Brazil, to keep up with rising consumer demand for chocolate and cocoa products in the...

EU sugar update

Confectionery SMEs in Europe lobby for sugar quota abolition

Small to medium sized confectioners in Europe yesterday lobbied the European Parliament to end sugar quotas in 2015; a regime they claim has led to inflated prices, scarce supplies, job...

Think tank slams EU sugar regime

EU sugar quotas have created instability, a sugar producer “oligopoly” and have dealt a “harsh blow” to small-to-medium sized confectioners, according to an independent think tank.

News in brief

Agriterra expands cocoa-growing in Sierra Leone

Cocoa trader Agriterra has announced that it has expanded its cocoa and farming operations in Sierra Leone.

CIUS ‘disappointed’ by EC out-of-quota sugar measures

The European Sugar Users Association (CIUS) has criticised the European Commission’s out-of-quota sugar measures which it claims have left sugar users unable to plan ahead.

Philippines as an emerging ‘quality’ cocoa origin

The Philippines can evolve as a top-quality cocoa source and serve the needs of growing demand for chocolate in Asia, according to a start-up company trading beans in the market.

News in brief

Cargill to keep grinding in Ivory Coast

Cargill will not move or reduce its cocoa processing operations in the Ivory Coast after successful talks with the national government.