Cocoa grinding figures decline across Europe due to COVID-19 affect

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Cocoa grinds are down in Germany and Europe, the BDSI reports. Pic: ConfectioneryNews

The coronavirus pandemic is having a negative impact on cocoa grinding, the indicator of the demand for cocoa for chocolate and confectionery production, said the Association of the German Confectionery Industry (BDSI).

It recorded that production of cocoa in its region fell significantly in the second quarter of 2020.

Eleven German companies and BDSI members working from the bean reported that their production facilities ground a total of 78,885.2 tonnes of cocoa in the second quarter of 2020 – down 16.3% compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

As in other countries, the downturn is partly due to sales channels that are important for many confectionery manufacturers, such as department stores and confectionery stores, remaining closed for the past two-three months due to the coronavirus crisis.

The European Cocoa Organization (ECA) also reports a decline for the second quarter of 2020 at 314,108 tonnes of raw cocoa were ground throughout Europe. This corresponds to a minus of 8.9% compared to the same quarter of the previous year.