Industry backs EU call on cocoa child labour and warns 100% certified is no guarantee

08-Feb-2012 - The chocolate and cocoa industry has backed an EU resolution to tackle child labour in cocoa production and warns children may still have produced cocoa that is 100% certified.

Europe must move to stamp-out cocoa child labour, MEPs tell Commission

31-Jan-2012 - A committee of MEPs is calling on the European Commission (EC) to consider legislating against use of child labour in cocoa plantations that fuel the EU's demand for chocolate, while the world's largest food firm Nestle has outlined its measures to safeguard against the problem.

News in brief

Barry Callebaut and Unilever in global cocoa partnership

23-Jan-2012 - Cocoa giant, Barry Callebaut will become a first choice source of cocoa and chocolate for ice cream manufacturer Unilever under a new long-term global partnership.

Cocoa crop boom to push prices lower in 2012 – Rabobank

05-Dec-2011 - A larger than expected supply of cocoa beans from West Africa will add to high buffer stocks and push cocoa prices down by 4%, according to financial service provider Rabobank.

Nestle ‘sure’ child labour occurs in supply chain as company allows probe

30-Nov-2011 - Nestle has become the first food company to allow the Fair Labor Association (FLA) to investigate whether children are working on cocoa farms supplying its factories as the company said that it would almost certainly be the case.

Callebaut teams with Indonesian cocoa exporter to build €24m processing site

21-Nov-2011 - The world’s leading cocoa manufacturer Barry Callebaut has entered a joint venture with Indonesian cocoa exporter P.T. Comextra Majora and has announced plans to build a €24m manufacturing facility.

Stability in Ivory Coast helps German cocoa grinds soar

21-Oct-2011 - Cocoa production in Germany has risen by 36% on the same quarter last year due to an improved political situation in Ivory Coast, according to the Association of the German Confectionery Industry (BDSI).

‘No magic bullet’ can protect cocoa from climate change

13-Oct-2011 - It will take every tool in the box to combat the effect of climate change on cocoa production, warn industry experts following the publication of research into the impact of rising temperatures on farmers in West Africa.

Peruvian expedition reveals new cacao flavours

27-Sep-2011 - Newly identified types of cacao plants with unique flavours that could be in the confectionery industry have been identified by researchers exploring the Peruvian Amazon Basin.

Cargill pays premium millions to cocoa farmers as sustainable sourcing grows

24-Aug-2011 - Cargill’s drive to secure a good quality and sustainable supply of cocoa beans is filtering down to famers in Cote d'Ivoire as it has just made premium payments totalling more than US $2.2m.

Indonesia: Nestlé commits to sustainable cocoa goal

01-Aug-2011 - Indonesia is the focus of an extension of Nestlé’s sustainable Cocoa Plan initiative, with the Swiss food group aiming to pump $4m (€2.7m) into bean production in that country.

Indonesia wants more investors in cocoa processing sector

01-Jul-2011 - The Indonesian cocoa processing sector is ripe for further investment from multinational food manufacturers, a spokesperson from the country’s investment authority said.

Cargill sets up dedicated team to accelerate sustainable cocoa agenda

30-Jun-2011 - Cargill has appointed a specialist team to drive forward its work on the production and supply of sustainable cocoa.

Cocoa shortage by 2020 unless industry acts now, warns Mars

23-Jun-2011 - Confectionery giant Mars predicts a major cocoa shortage by 2020 and reveals harmonization of global cocoa certification programmes to ensure meaningful income hikes for farmers is one of its sustainable cocoa project goals.

‘Micro-size’ chocolate tackles cocoa price max-out

25-May-2011 - With cocoa per-tonne prices standing at about €2080 in the aftermath of the Ivory Coast crisis, chocolate suppliers are coming to the fore with solutions to deliver ‘chocolateness’ with less chocolate content in goods like muffins and baked foods.

Callebaut expands supply deal with Hershey

05-May-2011 - Reflecting the continuing industry trend toward outsourcing, Barry Callebaut said a new supply deal it has agreed with Hershey will put its annual deliveries beyond the current 80,000 metric tonnes.

Callebaut takes delivery of first UTZ certified cocoa from Ghana

20-Apr-2011 - Another milestone has been achieved in the UTZ certified sustainable cocoa programme, with the first-ever shipment of cocoa beans from Ghana that meets that standard’s economic, environmental and social criteria.

Emerging markets drive record Barry Callebaut half year net profits

04-Apr-2011 - Strong performance in emerging markets and a strategic focus on customer segmentation rather than individual products have driven Barry Callebaut to record half year profits.

Puratos invests in origin chocolate in Brazil

16-Mar-2011 - Puratos has boosted production with the acquisition of a majority share in Floresta do Rio Doce, the first origin cocoa factory in Brazil.

New minimum price for Fairtrade organic cocoa will offset volatility, claims FLO

07-Dec-2010 - A new minimum price for Fairtrade organic cocoa, which comes into force early next year, will act as an income safety net for growers amid ongoing price volatility in the sector, according to the organization behind the standard.

FLO raises Fairtrade cocoa premium

14-Oct-2010 - A hike in US$50 in the Fairtrade premium per metric tonne (MT) of cocoa should encourage investment in sustainable cocoa initiatives and better farming practices, claims the group behind the standard, which expects ongoing growth in Fairtrade products.

New process method could boost Malaysian cocoa output

13-Oct-2010 - A scheme based on a computer-aided process simulation tool can optimise the cocoa manufacturing process in Malaysia and double output, claims new research.

Leading scientists welcome Mars backed cocoa genome breakthrough

16-Sep-2010 - A breakthrough in cocoa genetics by a collaboration involving Mars, USDA and IBM will accelerate research into the production of trees that can better resist drought, disease and pests, and has met with an enthusiastic welcome from leading cocoa scientists in the UK.

Hershey's cocoa sourcing held to account

15-Sep-2010 - Hershey lags behind its competitors when it comes to purchasing cocoa that has been certified to meet certain labour, social, and environmental standards, argues four non-governmental organisations in a highly critical report about the US confectionery maker.