Sustainable Sourcing

Colombian cocoa is known for its premium and distinctive flavour. Pic worldbulletin

Special report

Colombia cocoa’s peaceful transition to global prominence

By Anthony Myers

ConfectioneryNews talked to Jose Puyana, ProColombia's Regional Director for Europe, ahead of a Trade Mission to the UK (31 March to 3 April) to attend the London Coffee Festival, where cocoa producers will be also in attendance.

Popular UK high street confectioner Fudge Kitchen has announced that Luker Chocolate will supply all its chocolate. Pic: Fudge Kitchen

Sustainability

Fudge Kitchen to use Luker Chocolate in its confectionery products

By Anthony Myers

Popular UK high street company Fudge Kitchen has announced it has signed a deal with Colombian cocoa supplier Luker Chocolate in order to make its supply chain ethics and sustainability practices more visible to consumers.

Inside Ghana Gold, MIA’s new bean-to-bar line

Podcast

Inside Ghana Gold, MIA’s new bean-to-bar line

By Anthony Myers

MIA, short for Made in Africa, is branching out from its base in Madagascar to work with cocoa farmers in West Africa. Co-founder Brett Beach tells ConfectioneryNews the reasons behind the move – and also provides an update on the situation on the island...

Love Cocoa's new Easter egg range includes a 'Luxury Half & Half Egg'. Pic: Love Cocoa

Seasonal

Love Cocoa launches new eco-friendly ‘luxury’ Easter eggs

By Anthony Myers

Ethical British chocolate company Love Cocoa has extended its Easter offering with a new Luxury Giant Milk Chocolate Egg and a Luxury Half & Half Egg, both containing the brand’s signature Salted Caramel Truffles.

Cash transfers for cocoa families in Ghana improved children's material wellbeing, a new study shows. Pic: ICI

Sustainability

New cash transfer scheme for cocoa farmers helps reduce child labour

By Anthony Myers

A cash transfer programme implemented by the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI), in partnership with ECOM, has reduced child labour in cocoa-growing households and helped them to cope during difficult times, according to recent research.

Food Waste Action Week is designed to drive home the message to cut food waste by 50% by 2030. Pic: GettyImages/Mny-Jhee

Ramping up the bakery waste message

By Gill Hyslop

Food Waste Action Week (7-13 March 2022) was created by anti-food waste expert WRAP to help slice global food waste in half by 2030 through actionable change.

Forest recently destroyed to grow cocoa near Blolequin in Cote D'Ivoire. Photo: Mighty Earth

Environment

Cocoa industry still failing to end deforestation, new report claims

By Anthony Myers

A new report from global advocacy organisation Mighty Earth claims that since the high-profile launch of the Cocoa and Forests Initiative (CFI), Africa’s top cocoa-producing nations continue to see huge areas of forest being destroyed to make room for...

Cocoa farmers in Madagascar receive their literacy certificates. Pic: MIA

Sustainability

MIA doubles its commitment to Madagascar’s cocoa farmers

By Anthony Myers

Ethical bean-to-bar ethical chocolate company MIA’s (Made in Africa) 1 for Change giveback programme to support development initiatives in Madagascar is continuing to help communities beyond its supply chain.

The Chocoa conference is normally held n Amsterdam's Beurs van Berlage, Pic: Equipoise.

Chocoa 2022

Chocoa pulls online format, hopes to go live later in year

By Anthony Myers

The influential Chocoa conference, which was planned as a virtual meet-up for the second year running in February because of the COVID pandemic, has been postponed until later in year, organisers Equipoise have confirmed.

Pic: CN

Cocoa ingredients trends to watch in 2022

By Anthony Myers

Olam Food Ingredients (ofi) has revealed five top trends for the confectionery sector this year, with planetary health a key focus, along with amplified taste experiences and premiumization all set to dominate.

The Coalition said it looks forward to discussing the proposals in detail with the Commission, it said. Pic: CN

Regulation

Cocoa Coalition applauds EC on new deforestation legislation

By Anthony Myers

The ‘Cocoa Coalition' of companies, NGOs, certification organisations and multistakeholder organisations has welcomed the European Commission’s (EC) publication of its proposed regulation on deforestation.

The Chocovision Conference becomes part of the ECA's Forum, after 10 years as a standalone event in Davos, where it attracted industry leaders and politicians. Pic: Chocovision

ECA Forum 2022

Chocovision cocoa conference to become part of the ECA’s Rome Forum

By Anthony Myers

Barry Callebaut’s Chocovision, one of the key conferences for senior business leaders and key stakeholders in the cocoa, chocolate and confectionery industry, is to be integrated into next year’s European Cocoa Association (ECA) Forum in Rome.

TCHO's  new-look packaging. Pic: TCHO

Free-from

TCHO chocolate company makes move to 100% plant-based

By Anthony Myers

Pioneering craft chocolate maker TCHO (pronounced 'cho'), has announced it is replacing its milk chocolate-based bars with plant-based dairy alternatives and introducing a complete packaging makeover.

Cocos farmers Bismark Botwe and his wife Joyce Aidoo on their farm in Ghana, Pic: Kristy Leissle

I am a cocoa farmer: Bismark Botwe, Central Region, Ghana

'Farming cocoa definitely needs a side business'

By Kristy Leissle

In the fifth article in her occasional 'I am a cocoa farmer series', cocoa scholar Kristy Leissle talks to Bismark Botwe, about the struggle to make a decent living income from farming cocoa – and why he is now saving the ‘sweatings’ from the...