As the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (also known as COP26) gets underway today in a rainy Glasgow, a new Fairtrade study has revealed findings that ‘paints a bleak picture’ of the future for cocoa and other commodities.
Stefan Reidy is the founder and CEO of Arviem, a Swiss-based provider of multi-modal, in-transit supply chain visibility. He explains how best to protect valuable cocoa beans during their journey from West African ports to Europe and North America.
Latest data from the ICCO reveals that Europe's third-quarter cocoa grind rose 8.7% from a year earlier but only 3.5% from Q3 2019, as North America and Asia also report increases.
Indonesia’s representative palm oil body GAPKI is concerned that it may not be able to produce enough of the commodity this year, given that added demand is expected as economies recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dubai’s influence in the growing cocoa sector in Middle East region has been further strengthened by the announcement that Barry Callebaut has inaugurated a new CHOCOLATE ACADEMY at the foot of Burj Khalifa, one of the world's most iconic landmarks.
News that China's small batch of cocoa beans has been recognised by the Bioversity International’s 2021 Cocoa of Excellence competition is seen as another indicator of the rise of Asia’s cocoa sector.
Swiss agrifood testing company SwissDeCode is working with confectionery giant Mars Wrigley to find an early detection solution that can identify Cocoa Swollen Shoot Disease (CSSD), a virus that can devastate cocoa crops.
The potentially devastating black pod disease could affect cocoa crops in West Africa this year, due to above-average rainfalls and warm and humid conditions in September.
The second African Cocoa & Chocolate Expo (ACCE) 2021 opens online from today for three days of discussions, debates, exhibitions and networking opportunities.
A significant increase in the price of raw materials, combined with the costs of energy, logistics and packaging materials are causing problems for Germany’s confectionery industry.
The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) has revised its forecasts for the 2020-21 cocoa year, along with estimates of world production, grindings and stocks of cocoa beans for the 2019-20 cocoa year.
The Commonwealth of Dominica is setting an agenda to position itself as one the best cocoa producers on the international market by developing better agricultural practices and infrastructure.
BDSI, the German confectionery industry association, has reported its cocoa grindings rose 18% to 93,064 tonnes representing ‘a positive trend reversal’ in the country in the second quarter of 2021.
Ingredient supplier Tate & Lyle has launched a stevia sustainability programme in collaboration with environmental experts Earthwatch Europe. The company says the move will help the fast-growing stevia agri sector leverage sustainable practices as...
Palm oil and sustainability disagreements have caused ASEAN-EU trade relations to sour even further over the past year with a potential trade war on the line, even as the UK has moved to soften its stance to cement better ASEAN relations post-Brexit.
Announced earlier in the year, The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre's (DMCC) Cacao Centre is set to launch in summer with plans to make the Emirati city a global hub for trade in cocoa beans.
Cocoa prices continue to struggle, despite an increase in grindings reported in North America and Southeast Asia and is still ‘the worst performing commodity of the year,’ according to some analysts.
Over the past three decades, the rate of deforestation around the world has noticeably declined. This comes against an ever-increasing societal pressure from consumers and governments for more sustainable food products, which applies to everything from...
In a recently released new action plan, the global food manufacturer said workers in the palm oil industry - in particular migrant workers - are vulnerable to labour rights abuses, including forced labour.
Nutella manufacturer Ferrero has reiterated its commitment to sourcing sustainable palm oil that is 100% RSPO certified and segregated, and traceable to farms, the Italian confectionery group said in its Palm Oil Progress report for 2020.
The Cocoa Association of Asia (CAA) has announced it is postponing its conference that was due to take place from 4 to 5 November this year in Singapore due to the ongoing global health emergency following the COVID-19 outbreak.
The network also asks EU to step in and support cocoa farmers with human rights and environmental rights due diligence regulations, as Conseil du Café-Cacao says it will reimburse exporters affected by Living Income Differential payments.
Olam International, the global food and agri-business with cocoa now under its Olam Food Ingredients (OFI) division, has released its 2020 Annual Report, claiming to have met its target for 100% traceability of its directly sourced cocoa.
Increased output from Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana, along with decline in European cocoa bean usage due to the resurgence of COVID-19 infections means a production surplus projected in the 2020-21 season, with cocoa futures on the commodities market underperforming...
The environmental NGO says many certification schemes – covering palm, soy, and timber – enable ‘destructive business to continue as usual’. Palm Oil Monitor has fought back, questioning Greenpeace’s motives: ‘Make no mistake, this is an attack on palm...
Malaysian palm oil is expected to see a rise in demand from India and China this year as economies gradually open up and local stocks diminish, but the industry must improve logistics and digital reach to effectively capitalise, according to industry...
In its latest Monthly Cocoa Market Report, the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) has revealed that anticipations of a production surplus compounded with low levels of demand have contributed to the decline in prices in cocoa from January 2021 on...
In its latest update, the ICCO’s (International Cocoa Organization) assessment of European cocoa bean stocks for the 2019/20 season held in the continent’s warehouses reveals a reduction of 1.5% (down by 11,734 tonnes), compared with the previous season.
Experts have suggested that the palm oil industry and food firms manufacturing palm oil-containing products use the power of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to identify the right consumer segments and methods to sway sentiment back in their favour.
Cote d’Ivoire has announced it has appointed a senor corporate director from Mars Wrigley to help implement the $400 a tonne Living Income Differential (LID) scheme to increase farmer income and introduced by the country in a joint partnership with Ghana...
Germany’s confectionery industry is playing a leading role in the use of sustainable palm oil in its products, claims the main body representing its sweet manufacturers.
The palm oil industry in Malaysia needs to prepare itself for an uncertain year ahead with expected price volatility, production decrease and policy changes in the west, with the government attempting to shift to more value-added products in hopes of...
Le Conseil du Café Cacao (CCC), Cote d'Ivoire’s cocoa regulatory board, has suspended registering cooperatives’ beans in order to reduce the amount of cocoa stockpiled at ports because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Cote d’Ivoire has announced it has lifted its suspension on cocoa sustainability schemes run by Hershey, in the latest twist in the ‘cheap beans’ row that has threatened to jeopardise the delicate relationship between the big chocolate companies and cocoa-growing...
Sales of Cote d’Ivoire’s cocoa crop are the worst in decades, industry sources say, as COVID-19 drives down global demand for chocolate and the controversial Living Income Differential (LID) increases the price of its, and neighbouring Ghana’s, cocoa...
Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire have carried out their threat to cancel Hershey’s cocoa sustainability schemes in their countries, accusing the US giant of trying to avoid paying the cocoa Living Income Differential (LID) premium aimed at combating farmer poverty...
Cote d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa producing country, has called the move by Hershey to reportedly buy 30,000 tonnes of cheap beans from the ICE New York futures exchange an attempt to derail plans for the Living Income Differential (LID) set up...
Hershey has allegedly bought up to 30,000 tonnes of cocoa from futures exchange ICE in a bid to avoid paying the extra Living Income Differential (LID) set up by Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire that includes an added price premium of $400 per tonne on their cocoa,...
Cocoa farmers in Cote d’Ivoire are set to earn higher prices for their beans, as ice cream icon Ben & Jerry’s pledges to pay more to provide living incomes for cocoa farmers.
The man behind Australian sugar-free candies firm Sugarless Confectionery Jacques Aubry has detailed how he plans to expand in Singapore, and launch in new markets including Canada and Zambia.
