Chocoa returns with major industry sustainability issues on the table
The Beurs van Berlage offers a striking backdrop to Chocoa. Pic: Neill Barston
Proceedings for this year’s Chocoa event in Amsterdam, part of the city’s cocoa week, have begun, with a host of major issues on the agenda for tackling supply chain challenges of farmer pay, environmental protection, and human rights issues, writes Neill Barston.
The show, which is in its 12th edition, returns to the capital of the Netherlands in a full live format, having featured in a series of online sessions last year, it makes its comeback, with a broad array of industry professionals from around thew world.
Confectionery Production will be on hand to cover the show, which comes amid increasing consumer awareness of major challenges facing the industry, which as previously reported, has acknowledged that scaling up collective action will be of pivotal importance to solving ongoing issues of child labour and environmental concerns that have continued to impact on the sector, and how it has been perceived by the public.
Staged between 7-11 February 2024), it will be the first time the company behind Chocoa will bring together a large number of events for cocoa and chocolate professionals in an overarching Amsterdam Cocoa Week program, including Chocoa itself, the World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting, The Cacao of Excellence Award Ceremonies, the Women in Cocoa and Chocolate Network (WINCC) and many other events. The organisers expect around 2,000 professionals, ranging from cocoa producers to top level management of cocoa and chocolate brands, as well as many machine makers. All events take place in the Beurs van Berlage.
Among highlights for this year’s event will be its trade fair, including around 100 booths where you can meet cocoa suppliers from different countries of origin and buyers of cocoa and service providers, operating across three days. On the second day, parallel to the Trade Fair, the Amsterdam Sustainable Cocoa Conference and the Chocolate Makers’ Forum targeting professionals working in mainstream and specialty cocoa and chocolate.
