Michel Arrion

Exclusive: The World Cocoa Conference: the sustainability journey continues

As Antonie Fountain asserted for the final session of the World Cocoa Conference, “All of us in cocoa are like Lord of the Rings’ Sam Gamgee – if we take one more step in our sustainability journey, we are further from home than we have ever been, because we have come so far already,” reports Neill Barston.

Business news, Cocoa & chocolate, Ingredients, Regulatory, Sustainability

World Cocoa Conference reception sets scene for key sector event

A strong sense of anticipation gathered surrounding the opening reception for the fifth edition of the World Cocoa Conference, as it places the quest to raise farmer pay firmly in the spotlight, reports Neill Barston.

Business news, Cocoa & chocolate, Ingredients, Processing, Regulatory, Sustainability

Cocoa reflections: Amsterdam Cocoa week and Chocoa’s 2024 edition took on major industry issues

The global cocoa sector is under the microscope as never before amid major production challenges that have seen the key confectionery ingredient more than doubling in price within just a year. Kathryn Brand reports from the Amsterdam Cocoa Week events, including Chocoa and the WCF Partnership meeting

Business news, Cocoa & chocolate, Ingredients, New products, Packaging, Processing, Regulatory, Sustainability

Chocoa event raises concerns for cocoa sector, yet hope remains

As Michel Arrion, president of the International Cocoa Association asserted opening this year’s Chocoa conference, the price of cocoa needs to be increased by a factor of three for farmers to earn a living wage.

Cocoa & chocolate, Food safety, Ingredients, New products, Processing, Sustainability

ICCO’s Michel Arrion opens 10th anniversary Chocoa with key farmer pay plea

MIchel Arrion, executive director of the International Cocoa Organisation opened this year’s Chocoa Amsterdam Sustainable Cocoa Conference with a key call to triple crop prices to offer a major boost to farmers, reports Neill Barston.

ICCO cocoa organisation confirms project managing cadmium levels in crop supplies

The International Cocoa Organisation has confirmed plans to deliver a project designed to manage the levels of cadmium present in cocoa sourced from Latin America and Caribbean, writes Neill Barston.

Business news, Cocoa & chocolate, Food safety, Ingredients, Regulatory, Sustainability

International Cocoa Organisation welcomes Colombia into its membership

The International Cocoa Organisation has confirmed that it has completed a two-year process to appoint Colombia as a full member country, as it continues its mission to support sustainability within the sector, writes Neill Barston.

Business news, Cocoa & chocolate, Regulatory, Sustainability

World Cocoa Foundation set to address key industry sustainability issues

The latest World Cocoa Foundation partnership meeting is planning to address a host of key issues facing the sector including child labour, delivering a living wage, and a pressing need for due diligence legislation, writes Neill Barston.

Business news, Cocoa & chocolate, Ingredients, Packaging, Regulatory, Sustainability

Ghana cocoa sustainability conference highlights urgent need for farmer support

A key sustainability conference in Ghana has agreed that enabling farmers to earn fair incomes for the production of cocoa is vital for securing the sector’s future, writes Neill Barston.

Business news, Cocoa & chocolate, Ingredients, Processing, Regulatory, Sustainability

Chocoa online conference opens with calls for action on cocoa prices and sustainability collaboration

The opening day of Chocoa’s online Amsterdam Sustainable Cocoa Conference featured a key discussion of the importance of sharing data monitoring of cocoa farming operations for the future viability of the sector, writes Neill Barston.

Business news, Cocoa & chocolate, Ingredients, Processing, Sustainability

Chocoa unveils major industry names for 2021 virtual event

The Chocoa cocoa and chocolate trade fair has unveiled major industry figures for its online event, including an opening address from ICCO executive director Michel Arrion, and representatives from Nestle, Cargill, and the Solidaridad organisation, reports Neill Barston.

Business news, Cocoa & chocolate, Ingredients, New products, Packaging, Processing, Regulatory, Sustainability

Ghana Cocoa Awards celebrate resilience of the country’s cocoa sector

The second annual Ghana Cocoa Awards named Rahul Gopinath, CEO of Ecom Ghana, as the Cocoa Personality of the Year, in the event that successfully championed a number of unsung heroes for the sector who have shown determination amid the ongoing coronavirus, writes Neill Barston.

Business news, Cocoa & chocolate, Ingredients, New products, Packaging, Processing, Sustainability