Uncommon Cacao, which describes itself as the ‘first Transparent Trade cacao supply chain company,' has released its 2021 Transparency Report covering key performance indicators over the past 12 months.
The country’s first 100% organic cocoa-processing plant has been established in Beringen near Schaffhausen to produce organic and Fairtrade certified semi-finished cocoa products.
Oversupply and ample stocks of cocoa beans in the preceding year made cocoa beans relatively affordable, boosting production and increasing cocoa processing activities.
The International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) forecasts a 10% increase in the world cocoa production and a 25% increase in the cocoa price in the next decade. Based on the forecast, the total cocoa production will be approximately 4,700,000 tonnes in 2022-2023.
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.
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.
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.
The CPG giant is bringing two upcycled concepts to market through its SnackFutures hub, including jerky made from cacao fruit and chips made from vegetable scraps.
A staggering 38% of global cocoa is lost each year to disease or pests - and this figure looks set to rise - yet research is scant compared to rice, corn or wheat. Why is this and what is being done to reduce it?
Brooklyn start-up Raaka is carving out space in the crowded chocolate category by skipping the traditional step of roasting the cocoa bean to create “virgin chocolate” that highlights the “true flavors” of the beans, according to a company representative.
Mars has filed a patent for a method to process unfermented cocoa beans that it claims would maintain the final chocolate taste and allow for a more consistent flavor.
The biggest players in the industry are already exploring ways to reduce bitterness and to up cocoa content in chocolate with MycoTechnology’s mushroom myceliation process, says the company’s founder.
Temperature and its duration have the biggest impact on the browning of cocoa beans during roasting, but air velocity also indirectly influences the process, a study finds.
Alkali processing causes a loss of up to 98 per cent on epicatechin in the final chocolate based product, claims Hershey company based scientists evaluating the effect of conventional production methods of cocoa beans on flavanols levels.
As demand continues to outstrip supply, the world price of cocoa was more than 12 per cent higher at the end of last week compared with a year ago, according to the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO).
Ambitious growth targets are fuelling leading chocolate supplier Barry Callebaut’s strategy to source cocoa from regions other than West Africa, with Malaysia the focus of the first stage of its cocoa production expansion plan.
Marabel Farms, an independent producer and supplier of cocoa beans from the Dominican Republic, has opened its first warehouse and distribution centre in the US.
Troubles for West African cocoa supplies look set to continue following reports that the harmattan, a harsh, crop-damaging wind, has begun to sweep in from the Sahara.
US agri-giant Cargill has carved a deeper position in the European
chocolate market after Swiss firm Nestlé sold two cocoa processing
activities to the acquisitive private company.
A roasting system equipped with state-of-the-art debacterisation
has been developed for US chocolate and cocoa producer Blommer. The
process is claimed to preserve the properties of cocoa better.
