WCF partnership meeting gears-up for major industry Amsterdam date
Chris Vincent, president of the WCF, will be among key speakers at its next partnership meeting in Amsterdam. pic: WCF
Global sector leaders are anticipated to gather for the World Cocoa Foundation’s latest partnership meeting, as it calls in on an Amsterdam next month, writes Neill Barston.
The organisation held its last annual gathering in Brazil, and moves to the Dutch capital between 17-18 February at a pivotal moment for the industry, as it seeks to navigate a series of ongoing market challenges.
Confectionery Production will be playing its part as a media partner for the event, which forms part of the wider Amsterdam Cocoa Week, which also includes the Chocoa event in the city.
With major topics of the much-promised, delayed EUDR deforestation legislation and its accompanying corporate due diligence laws ensuring social and wider human rights firmly on the horizon, along with wider supply chain matters, there will be no shortage of major discussion points.
Under the theme Securing Cocoa’s Future in a Changing World, the two-day Partnership Meeting will bring together more than 400 stakeholders from across the cocoa and chocolate value chain to address the structural, environmental and economic shifts reshaping the sector.
As the organisation, which represents some 80% of the globe’s cocoa sector noted, its extensive programme focuses on practical collaboration and shared solutions to ensure cocoa remains viable, sustainable and accessible for generations to come.
Across the two days, discussions will tackle the most urgent challenges facing cocoa today, including climate resilience, farmer income, evolving regulatory frameworks, access to finance, market volatility and long-term supply security. The agenda reflects a growing recognition that the next phase of sustainability must move beyond commitments to delivery, scale and measurable impact.
“This Partnership Meeting comes at a critical inflection point for cocoa,” said Chris Vincent, President of the World Cocoa Foundation. “Climate pressures, regulatory change and market disruption are converging. The conversations we will have in Amsterdam are about how we collectively respond, with urgency, realism and ambition, to secure a resilient future for farmers, companies and cocoa-growing landscapes.”
A global platform
The 2026 Partnership Meeting will feature senior voices from producing and consuming countries alike, including leaders from cocoa-producing governments, international organisations, farmer organisations, sustainability standards, financial institutions and the chocolate and cocoa industry. Speakers will explore how policy, investment and innovation can be better aligned to support farmers while meeting rising expectations on environmental and social performance.
The programme combines high-level plenaries with focused sessions examining: Climate adaptation and resilient farming systems, Farmer income, livelihoods and long-term economic viability, Regulatory readiness and implementation across markets, Data, traceability and impact measurement, Financing models to unlock scale and transformation, The future of cocoa in a rapidly changing global market.
Furthermore, the second day places particular emphasis on implementation and collaboration, spotlighting what is working, where progress is stalling and how collective action can accelerate change across regions.
Moreover, a further central element of the event is its Cocoa TechXchange, a dedicated space showcasing tools, technologies and partnerships that are turning innovation into practice.
Taking place on 17 February, Cocoa TechXchange brings together solution providers, practitioners and decision-makers to explore how data, digital platforms, traceability systems and climate-smart technologies can strengthen resilience and accelerate impact across cocoa supply chains.
Deforestation key issue
As global attention intensifies on sustainable agriculture, deforestation-free supply chains and responsible sourcing, the World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting remains the sector’s premier forum for alignment between public and private actors.
With Amsterdam providing a central European platform, the 2026 meeting also reflects the growing importance of international policy coherence and cross-border collaboration in shaping the future of cocoa.
A full list of confirmed speakers and the detailed two-day programme are available on the World Cocoa Foundation website, worldcococoafoundation.org
