Cocoa Bean

Commodities

Cocoa prices hit 26-year high, as soft commodities start to fall

05-Jul-2023 By Anthony Myers

Recent bad weather in West Africa has threatened cocoa production resulting in record-high prices for the commodity on the Intercontinental Exchange in London.

Manufacturing

Ghana-based Niche Cocoa opens new facility in the United States

12-Oct-2022 By Anthony Myers

Ghanaian cocoa processing company Niche Cocoa has announced a major investment in the US with the opening of a manufacturing facility in Franklin, Wisconsin.

‘It can produce good chocolate’: Nestlé supports CCN-51 cocoa growing in Ecuador

30-Nov-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Nestlé Ecuador says CCN-51 can produce ‘good chocolate’ as it provides technical assistance to farmers growing the high yielding cocoa variety.

Dispatches from Shanghai

Ruby chocolate a fourth category 'naturally colored' from cocoa, says Barry Callebaut CEO

06-Sep-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Barry Callebaut claims it has created the fourth category of chocolate, adding to milk, dark and white.

Startup Tracker

Whaddyaluv: Spruce0132’s experiential artisan chocolate brand set for US entry

22-Sep-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Family startup Spruce0132 is to introduce a chocolate brand to boutique channels across the US made entirely from Ecuadorian Sacha Gold cocoa.

Tony’s Chocolonely to source traceable cocoa butter from Barry Callebaut

19-Jul-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Barry Callebaut is to supply Tony’s Chocolonely cocoa butter that can be traced to the Dutch firm’s partner cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire.

Exclusive interview

Fairtrade CEO: Chocolate industry should pay double for cocoa to ensure farmer living income

21-Oct-2015 By Oliver Nieburg

Chocolate makers must pay double the market price for cocoa farmers to receive a living income, says the CEO of Fairtrade as the organization gears up to review pricing.

Raaka’s “virgin chocolate” tests the limits of where the confection can go

17-Feb-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

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.

Hershey and Cargill team up on Ivorian cocoa program

10-Sep-2014 By Oliver Nieburg

Hershey has partnered with its supplier Cargill to bring its cocoa sustainability program to the Côte d’Ivoire, helping farmers achieve UTZ certification. 

Cocoa sustainability drive gains $3m industry commitment

06-Jun-2013 By Oliver Nieburg

The chocolate and cocoa industry has pledged $3m in new funds to global cocoa sustainability as major firms including Mondelez, Hershey and Cargill talk about their new initiatives.

Cocoa processing migrating to origin, says ADM

13-May-2013 By Oliver Nieburg

Cocoa processing is increasingly moving to origin countries, particularly those in regions where chocolate consumption is rising such as Brazil and Indonesia, according to ADM Cocoa’s head of innovation.

Cocoa deficit to bring prices higher, predicts Rabobank

22-May-2012 By Oliver Nieburg

A consecutive deficit in 2012/13 is set to move cocoa prices higher as supply struggles to meet rising demand for chocolate products in Asia, according to financial services group Rabobank.

Cocoa shortage by 2020 unless industry acts now, warns Mars

23-Jun-2011 By Jane Byrne

Confectionery giant Mars predicts a major cocoa shortage by 2020 and reveals harmonization of global cocoa certification programmes to ensure meaningful income hikes for farmers is one of its sustainable cocoa project goals.

Cargill awarded for its work with cocoa farmers

02-Dec-2010

Cargill has been awarded for its work to improve livelihoods for cocoa farmers and their families in Africa, Asia and South America.

ADM expects higher sustainable cocoa output in 2011

18-Nov-2010 By Jane Byrne

Participation in ADM’s cocoa growing certification programme - Serap - has tripled since its implementation and it has provided almost 49,000 metric tonnes of sustainable cocoa in the period, said the cocoa processor as it conducts a review of the programme...

Fair trade cocoa could protect against price volatility, analyst

20-Aug-2010

Opting for fair trade cocoa could be one way for food firms to protect themselves against price volatility for the commodity, according to an industry analyst.

Cocoa goes lower as signs supply pressure may ease

10-Aug-2010 By Jane Byrne

Cocoa fell to a three month low in London on signs that supplies in the world’s biggest producer countries would be boosted by the better crop husbandry initiated over the past three years.

Cocoa prices dip on reports of buoyant supply

04-Mar-2010 By Jane Byrne

Cocoa futures in New York hit their lowest price since September yesterday on signs of increased production in Ivory Coast, which is the leading global supplier.

Cargill expands cocoa business in Ghana

24-Jul-2007 By Lorraine Heller

Agricultural firm Cargill has started construction of a new cocoa
processing facility in Ghana, in an expansion move designed to meet
increasing global demand for cocoa products.

Barry Callebaut boosts Ghana cocoa production

09-Feb-2007 By Catherine Boal

Major Swiss cocoa processor Barry Callebaut has expanded operations
at a factory in Ghana - doubling the facility's bean processing
capacity.

'Record' year for cocoa crops

29-Nov-2006 By Catherine Boal

The International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) has revised its gloomy
cocoa estimate of a 5,000 tonne deficit to predict a global surplus
of 80,000 tonnes of cocoa in the coming year, assuring
manufacturers of a steady supply.

Pan Sino establishes Singapore's largest cocoa bean plant

28-Sep-2006 By James Knowles

Cocoa bean producer Pan Sino International has announced plans to
build Singapore's largest cocoa processing plant, increasing cocoa
bean supply for manufacturers.

Chocolate industry affirms reponsible farming need

18-Feb-2005

Democrats Tom Harkin and Eliot L. Engel wrote a hard-hitting piece
in the LA Times on Monday about the human cost of the chocolate
trade, but the cocoa industry has hit back by reaffirming its
commitment to responsible farming.

Cocoa prices remain slack

04-Oct-2004

Prices remain steady for cocoa, despite news that the start of the
new cocoa harvesting season from the world's biggest producer,
Ivory Coast, has been delayed due to a dispute.

Scientist calls for risk test to protect chocolate crops

08-Jul-2004

Hanging as a persistent threat to the chocolate industry witches'
broom disease is capable of wiping out entire cacao crops and
sending the price of chocolate rocketing. Despite ongoing research
into the threat confirmed by the...