Ghana is the world’s second-biggest cocoa producer, after its West African neighbour, Cote d’Ivoire. Its main growing season runs from October to September, and while output may increase - a glut in the global market has raised wider concerns about lower...
Global food and agri-business, Olam Group, has reported strong results for the first half of 2020 and claimed to make good progress on its Strategic Plan (2019-2024) and Re-organisation Plan announced in January 2020.
A new poll published by Reuters of London on cocoa futures has forecast cocoa would cost 10% less at the end of the year because of rising production and a hit to demand from the coronavirus crisis.
HIM & MCA Insight has announced a new name and branding as it launches a new analytics and data visualisation solution under its data platform Lumina Intelligence.
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).
The Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod) is set to raise the price of cocoa in a bid to offset low exports amid the coronavirus pandemic and heavy rains affecting this season’s crop.
Lockdown restrictions at destination ports for cocoa exports caused by the coronavirus pandemic is having a financial impact on Ghana’s main commodity due to slowing exports and sales.
Marika van Santvoort, founder of Pacha de Cacao, explains to ConfectioneryNews the benefits of cacao juice, not only for health-conscious western consumers, but also as potential extra revenue for cocoa farmers who are struggling on low incomes.
The global sugar confectionery market size is anticipated to reach $69.5bn by 2026, growing at a rate of 4.3%, according to new research published by Polaris Market Research, as sugar stays stable on the commodity market.
Scientists are analysing cocoa’s chemical ‘fingerprint’ to determine in which country it was produced. In the future, the technology could have the potential to confirm chocolate label claims, say researchers.
‘During risk-off periods in markets, the prices of all products tend to move lower. When price carnage hits markets, rationality takes a holiday,’ said analyst Andrew Hecht.
Millions is wasted on celeb marketing campaigns that could be redirected to help the world’s poorest achieve a living income through blockchain tokens, says Fairchain and the UNDP.
November was ‘a bullish month for the cocoa futures market as the price hit its highest level in 2019 and the highest since May 2018, said analyst Andrew Hecht, author of the Hecht Commodity Report.
From blockchain to crop monitoring with drones, smallholder cocoa producers in Honduras are digitizing their production thanks to a project led by the Inter-American Development Bank.
Fair trade standards should become watchdogs instead of the benchmark for sustainability, argues the recently appointed head of sustainable commodities NGO Solidaridad.
Sustainability is undoubtedly one of the hottest topics in APAC’s food and beverage industry, but it can be hard to distinguish between greenwashing and a genuine commitment best practice. That’s why in this edition of Asia’s Food Future: Industry 4.0,...
Nestlé, Mars, Hershey and Lindt earned C-level ratings in the organization’s chocolate scorecard, while Mondelēz and Godiva fared worse. Smaller players including Alter Eco, Endangered Species, Theo and Tony’s Chocolonely again received top marks in the...
The US International Trade Court sided with CSC Sugar, a refiner, in a case regarding a 2017 amendment to the purity of sugar traded between the US and Mexico.
Inspired by the decision of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire to agree a premium price for their cocoa with buyers, Nigeria and Cameroon say they are looking at a similar initiative.
#RadicalEquality campaign sees ‘The Other Bar’ allowing consumers the choice to invest in cocoa farmers’ livelihoods and make a direct impact on poverty.
Mondelēz International’s Cocoa Life sustainability program aims to strengthen the company’s supply chain and the Cadbury maker’s on-pack claims are only to signal brands contain sustainable cocoa, says Cathy Pieters, the director of the program.
Funds from FMO Bank will support the addition of new lines for instant cocoa powder, ready-to-drink chocolate and chocolate-based spreads from the Ghanaian-owned chocolate producer.
The educational chocolate brand for kids regularly supports the environmental group, but the recent wave of deforestation prompted Yowie to offer more.
The eco-conscious chocolate brand gathered likeminded companies to form the Amazon Alliance, which strives to protect 4.5m trees – one for each product sold in September.
World for Brexit (W4B) specifically calls out cocoa tariffs on its homepage, but FullFact.org – and World Trade Organization data – refutes the alleged 30% duty.
Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands are the latest countries to adopt the International Palm Oil Free Certification Trademark (POFCAP), bringing the number of countries using the label to 20.
Producers from cocoa-growing regions in South America and the Caribbean are considering a proposal from Peru’s trade group at a conference this week in Colombia.
The world’s second-largest cocoa producing nation became the third country to sign a deal that aims to address the effects of deforestation and forest degradation.
Political and economic uncertainties likely to affect global trading conditions in 2019 company said, while issuing a positive outlook to navigate market challenges.
I Am A Cocoa Farmer: John Narh Adamnor, Eastern Region, Ghana
‘I am a cocoa farmer’ is the first in an occasional series by Dr Kristy Leissle, scholar of the cocoa and chocolate industries. In each article, Leissle profiles one individual who makes a living growing cocoa, exploring how she or he came to cocoa farming,...
Three-quarters of shareholders at Mackay Sugar Limited voted to accept a majority takeover, after the German conglomerate agreed to the move in February.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard on sustainable cocoa will help mainstream ethical cocoa, says the chair of the standard, while an NGO worries uptake will be limited.
The naturally modified table sugar from Global Biolife, called Laetose, carries 30% fewer calories and about half the glycemic index compared to glucose.
Researchers set out to determine how much, if at all, a price premium would affect the reality of child labor in cocoa production in Ghana. Through three scenarios, they settled on an 11% bump transferred directly from government to farmer.
Two countries instead agree on 'additional' $400 income for farmers if price falls too low, after meeting in Abidjan breaks up without agreement from cocoa processors.
Two countries to meet on 3 July with representatives of cocoa processors to set a $2,600 floor price to generate a fair living wage for cocoa farmers, but it could have a detrimental effect, warns one senior analyst.
The Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) argues palm oil boycotts pave the way for unsustainable alternatives, but Greenpeace says that if the palm industry operates as usual, brands are left with little choice.
As snacking occasions abound, the Almond Board of California (ABC) has committed to promoting the sustainability and usefulness of the world’s favorite nut.
The cocoa and spice supplier unveiled sustainability goals in 2017 with a 2020 goal of nurturing a ‘fully traceable’ cocoa supply chain. We discussed progress with Olam's North American innovation lead, when we caught up with him at IFT.
The World Cocoa Farmers Organization (WCFO) is asking Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to reconsider setting a minimum cocoa price, while the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) is suprised the price was not higher.
The Standard Bank Group, Africa’s biggest lender by assets, sent 17 members as part of an immersion program to discuss opportunities for growth in the Ghanian cocoa sector.
