Malaysian cocoa firm Vive Snack is banking on a strong local focus to further expand its reach in the domestic market, with an emphasis on its use of local ingredients and new product innovations.
Fairtrade International pioneers unique and effective program to address child labor in farming communities. Anita Sheth, senior advisor social compliance and development, Fairtrade International, explains an ongoing program in Belize to empower local...
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.
As part of the UN’s International Day of Education, Olam Cocoa and Rainforest Alliance help school children in Côte d'Ivoire learn about the dangers of deforestation.
Divine Chocolate was established in 1998 by a co-operative of cocoa farmers in Ghana that owns 44% of the company and shares in its profit. Its cocoa is Fairtrade certified and 100% traceable.
137 children ranging in ages from six to 17 came from the nearby West African countries of Nigeria, Benin, Ghana and Togo, local news media said, as US Senate investigation into Côte d'Ivoire's cocoa supply chain continues.
I am a cocoa farmer: Bahati Sanjingu, Morogoro Region, Tanzania
'I am a cocoa farmer' is an occasional series by Dr Kristy Leissle, scholar of the cocoa and chocolate industries. Here she visits Bahati Sanjingu, a cocoa farmer in Tanzania, and hears how she made the transition from growing rice to cocoa...
Mars Incorporated has announced it has engaged Nature Source Improved Plants (NSIP) in a collaborative project to enable its cocoa supply chain to become more sustainable in the future.
In a new year’s blog published on the WCF website, Scobey says much was achieved in 2019, ‘but much more remains to be done’ surrounding farmer poverty and deforestation.
From launching a niche start-up to purchasing a cocoa plantation in Saint Lucia, CEO Angus Thirlwell takes us through the ‘perpetual growing ambitions’ of Hotel Chocolat.
Coffee and cocoa farmers often grow avocado and mango as part of sustainable agroforestry systems - but these are vulnerable to climate change and should be swapped for more resilient crops, according to a recent study.
Swiss confectionery giant claims it is investing $45m a year in its sustainability program and making progress tackling child labor in its cocoa supply chain in West Africa.
Fair trade standards should become watchdogs instead of the benchmark for sustainability, argues the recently appointed head of sustainable commodities NGO Solidaridad.
In the third article in our series, we look at Barry Callebaut's work in Ghana, the second largest cocoa growing country in the world, as the group released results of its Forever Chocolate global sustainability progress report.
Mission-led chocolate brands promoting a cocoa province can not only generate consumer engagement, but help deprived producing communities that need it most, according to a sustainability analyst.
Cargill says it is investing over $113m to expand its cocoa processing sites in Yopougon, Côte d'Ivoire, and Tema, Ghana – while increasing its ‘Cocoa Promise’ in the two countries.
In the second of a series of articles on Barry Callebaut’s operations in Ghana we look at the company’s carbon reduction strategy in West Africa – as the group announced that it is contributing to the collective efforts of climate change to cap global...
Cocoa companies, NGOs and Fairtrade issue joint statement for human rights and environmental due diligence requirements to be urgently imposed by European Union.
Paul Schoenmakers, head of impact and the person driving Tony’s Chocolonely’s sustainability programme, talks exclusively to ConfectioneryNews on business growth, legislation and doing the right thing in the cocoa sector.
Barry Callebaut’s presence in Ghana’s cocoa sector is all consuming, like its presence in the chocolate industry, and it knows that with size comes responsibility. Ahead of the official publication of its worldwide sustainability program’s Forever Chocolate...
Ethical Dutch chocolate brand’s annual figures have a lot to shout about, just don’t go looking for profit in a company that is on a mission to make ‘slave-free chocolate’ the norm.
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,...
Philipp Kauffmann is founder/chief grower of Original Beans, an award-winning chocolate and conservation company and comes from a family of recognized nature explorers and nature conservationists. In 2008, he gave up his job at the United Nations in New...
Barry Callebaut announced sales volumes grew 5.1% to 2.14m tonnes in the 12 months to August 31, while net profit rose 6.9% in local currencies to CHF368.7m ($371m), the world’s leading manufacturer of cocoa products said in its full-year results for...
For the first time in nearly a decade, New York City will host the part-art museum, part-chocolate school extravaganza on November 15-17, 2019 at the Javits Center in Hudson Yards, Manhattan. We got the scoop from event director Chyai Mulberg on what...
The newly-formed Retailer Cocoa Collaboration strongly supports CFI and the Frameworks for Action as a landmark multi-stakeholder initiative for protecting and restoring forests in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Colombia and other areas. 'Retailers as drivers...
Two countries say they ‘reaffirm commitment to eradicating child labor and deforestation in cocoa and will collaborate with all stakeholders to promote and sustain the cocoa industry,’ after meeting with execs at WCF Partnership Meeting in Berlin.
The company, one of the world's largest cocoa suppliers, commits to living incomes for farmers, a child labor-free supply chain and greater forest protection by 2030.
The EU has issued a powerful call to action for a responsible cocoa supply chain, saying there is a strong case for mandatory due diligence legislation to ensure human rights and environmental protection and support of voluntary corporate action that...
In light of the The Washington Post article this week that found ‘alarming’ problems with Utz’s auditing processes, a timely session at the WCF Partnership Meeting on blockchain looks at how it can help with supply chain certification – but is the industry...
Rick Scobey launched this year’s WCF Partnership Meeting in Berlin with an impassioned speech outlining a fresh vision and investment to alleviate farmer poverty and improve sustainability in the cocoa sector, as Mars Wrigley launches its own Sustainable...
On the eve of the World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting in Berlin, ConfectioneryNews caught up with Antonie Fountain, managing director of The VOICE Network, which describes itself as ‘a watchdog and catalyst for a reformed cocoa sector’, for a special...
Following our article on 14 October stating that Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire have announced that they are frustrated with the slow uptake from makers to pay a living income to its farmers, ethical Dutch chocolate brand Tony’s Chocolonely said it agrees with...
World Cocoa Foundation’s annual gathering kicks off in Berlin on Wednesday as The German Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa (GISCO) says it is continuing to monitor progress after its meeting earlier this month in Cologne.
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.
Hosted by the Fine Cacao and Chocolate Institute (FCCI), the two-week event will welcome an estimated 3,000 attendees to taste, learn and experience chocolate alongside industry experts.
The World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting in Germany, goes back to the roots of sustainability in the industry, says Alexander Ferguson, the WCF’s vice president for communications and membership.
#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.
Company’s state-of-the-art chocolate factory in Belgium includes option to use a wide range of sugar replacers to meet market demand for healthier chocolate.
Swiss cocoa producer joins One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B) coalition and 'Just Rural Transition' initiative at New York Climate Action Summit.
