Child labour remains a persistent challenge in the cocoa sector, and is the main focus of this year’s WCF Partnership Meeting, which opened online today with a message from new President Martin Short.
Where should food businesses begin net zero action? With a ‘forest positive’ approach, Earthworm Foundation CEO Bastien Sachet tells FoodNavigator, stressing action is required this decade.
With the COP26 meeting in Glasgow due to end Friday 12 November, Fairtrade has announced is has launched a new climate-focused partnership with Grow Ahead, a leading crowd-funding platform addressing the local challenges of climate change.
The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) 2021 Partnership Meeting takes place online again this year from November 17 and 18 – see below for registration details.
The Puratos Group is set to increase capacity and become the first carbon-neutral chocolate factory with a major expansion at its Belcolade facility in Erembodegem, Belgium.
The digital economy can help us prevent packaging waste, say researchers at Lancaster University and University of St Andrews, who are working with the founders of Reath, a start-up in Edinburgh, with a mission to build the digital infrastructure for...
Who grows my food, are they paid fairly, and do they use eco-friendly farming methods? These are some of the questions being asked by conscious consumers at the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow this month.
As the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (also known as COP26) gets underway today in a rainy Glasgow, a new Fairtrade study has revealed findings that ‘paints a bleak picture’ of the future for cocoa and other commodities.
Ahead of its planned IPO, Olam Food Ingredients (ofi) has set out its aim to drive innovation to deliver growth. We catch up with ofi CEO A. Shekhar to learn about the trends the company hopes to tap.
Barry Callebaut’s latest innovation, ‘Elix’, is made from 100% pure cacaofruit and is described by the Group as the ‘first nutraceutical fruit drink’ with proven health benefits.
Premium British chocolate brand Love Cocoa created by Cadbury scion James Cadbury has launched a new Luxury Chocolate Truffle Charity Advent Calendar as part of its 2021 Christmas Collection, with all profits going to Britain’s National Health Service...
Mars Wrigley is joining forces for a new climate-smart venture with 12Tree, a transformative asset manager and operator in the area of agroforestry, and ECOM, one of the world's largest suppliers of sustainable cocoa beans.
A sharp and sudden drop in cocoa farmgate prices by 18.5% in Cote d’Ivoire has led to ethical Netherlands’ brand Tony’s Chocolonely launching an urgent appeal to all chocolate companies to match the price Tony’s pays its cocoa farmers.
Global rice-to-chocolate giant Mars Inc. has said it will reach net zero emissions across its full value chain by 2050. Discussing the move, chief executive Grant F. Reid insisted ‘gaps’ in industry pledges need to be addressed and argued long-term aims...
An evaluation into the outcomes of Fairtrade’s West Africa Cocoa Programme (WACP) has found stronger cooperatives among participating producers, organisation revealed.
Divine Chocolate, co-owned by Kuapa Kokoo cooperative of 100,000 cocoa farmers in Ghana, is celebrating its unique partnership by adding three new 90g flavours to its collection along with a packaging refresh.
Family-owned German confectionery company has announced the launch of Don Choco - a limited-edition dark milk chocolate bar made from 100% certified, sustainable cocoa from its own cacao plantation in El Cacao, Nicaragua.
Seventy percent of Nestlé’s emissions lie in the raw materials it sources. Agriculture is therefore central to the Swiss food giant’s target to hit net zero by 2050. Pascal Chapot, Nestlé Head of Sustainable Agriculture, discusses the challenges and opportunities...
French premium chocolate manufacturer Valrhona has joined forces with the Swiss-Ghanaian start-up Koa to create Oabika, a new cocoa fruit juice concentrate for chefs and other gastronomy professionals.
Blommer Chocolate Company, the largest cocoa processor and chocolate ingredient supplier in North America, has announced it has joined a growing list of major chocolate manufacturers, such as Arcor, Barry Callebaut, Ezaki Glico Co, The Hershey Company,...
Tony’s Chocolonely and discount supermarket Aldi have announced a new own-label Choceur CHOCO CHANGER available as a Specialbuy in Aldi stores across the UK from this week.
Kocoatrait, India's first zero waste, inclusive and sustainable bean to bar chocolate company, has announced a new initiative to help farmers with their cocoa post-harvesting tasks.
Colombian ethical and fine chocolate brand Luker Chocolate has launched its new line, Balance, which includes brand new oat-milk chocolate and organic coconut sugar chocolate.
As part of its Cocoa for Generations strategy that was launched three years ago, confectionery giant Mars has released a latest update on its sustainability efforts in West Africa.
The European Cocoa Association (ECA), whose primary role is to act as an intermediary between the EU and cocoa producing countries when key concerns for the cocoa sector are under discussion, has announced the appointment of five new companies, bringing...
Olam International’s subsidiary Congolaise Industrielle des Bois (CIB), the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Ministry of Forest Economy (MEF) of the Republic of Congo have agreed to renew their partnership agreement to protect wildlife around...
The European Commission (EC) has reiterated its commitment to ending all forms of child labour by 2025 and will use trade incentives, such as General Scheme of Preferences, to cooperate with partners to combat the problem.
Its latest report highlights the new 2020 Rainforest Alliance certification programme (which has replaced former Rainforest Alliance and UTZ programmes since July 2021), the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has worked to transform the cocoa...
Forest of Hope – the Fairtrade-accredited chocolate brand – is set to launch its range of surprise eggs in Waitrose stores in the UK from September 13.
The Barry Callebaut Brand has also launched a special ‘Indulgence Playbook’ for North American food manufacturers, as a guide on the growth premium category.
Cargill has announced a new multi-year research agreement with AeroFarms, a pioneer and leader in vertical farming, to improve yields of its cocoa beans and to develop cultivation methods that are more climate-resistant.
Leading UK bakery chain Greggs has announced that it has committed to using 100% Fairtrade chocolate across its supply chain and in all chocolate products sold through its shops.
Earlier this year, The International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) launched a new study to analyse data from various stakeholders’ Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation Systems (CLMRS), with the aim of guiding improvements in their effectiveness at identifying,...
Just as the term “all-natural” has lost much of its healthy-image luster over the years, the claim of “plant-based” also may be at risk of losing some of its better-for-you significance with consumers, according to Mintel research.
Ethical Dutch chocolate brand that officially launched in the UK in 2108 is launching Choose Agents - a tour across four major UK cities - to spread awareness about inequalities in the cocoa industry.
A new study conducted by Fairtrade America claims awareness of its certification has increased among US consumers by 50% since 2019 – and chocolate is one of the most recognised Fairtrade products.
A new initiative in Cote d’Ivoire is empowering women to become the producers and marketers of their own cocoa products, shifting value-addition processes to origin countries.
The Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa (SWISSCO) has reported good progress in promoting sustainability in the Swiss cocoa value chain as it deepens its engagement in projects and international cooperation.
