An investor letter issued earlier this month by non-profit Investor Advocates for Social Justice (IASJ) has called out international chocolate companies to end what it described as “exploitative purchasing practices,” mainly in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
Asia is poised to help meet rising demand for cocoa, but its key producer Indonesia faces quality concerns and its government lacks incentive to grow the sector.
Cadbury will invest in trials to commercially cultivate cocoa in Australia for the first time as it sets out plans to upgrade its production facility in Tasmania.
Leading cocoa processor Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) has announced it is kick-starting its Ivory Coast sustainable cocoa initiative – Serap – in Indonesia in a bid to boost cocoa quality from growers in that region.
Swiss chocolate company Barry Callebaut is to purchase a 60 per
cent share of Malaysia's KL Kepong Cocoa Products in a move
designed to increase its sourcing capacity in Asia.
