National European cocoa sustainability platforms agree closer ties with MOU By Anthony Myers Memorandum of Understanding signed by Dutch Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa, Belgium’s Beyond Chocolate, the German Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa and the Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa agreeing to closer collaboration, Chocoa21 delegates told.
Launched in September 2020, the Dutch Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa (DISCO) is the latest national joint vision for a sustainable cocoa sector and dates back to the success of The Netherlands’ Letter of Intent, ‘Sustainable cocoa consumption and cocoa production,’ signed into action in 2010 to achieve 100% guaranteed sustainable cocoa consumption by 2025 on all cocoa imported into the country.
Olam reports robust 2020 performance By Anthony Myers Olam has reported a strong operating performance across its new structure, which includes its cocoa business in Olam Food Ingredients (OFI).
The company said revenue was up 3.3% to S$12.5bn ($9.1bn), mainly driven by volume growth as well as higher average selling prices in the Value-added Food Ingredients & Solutions segment.
Results Snapshot
H2 2020 Operational PATMI up 90.1% to S$475.7 million
Lower reported PATMI in H2 2020 (-S$87.0 million) and 2020 (S$245.7 million) from prudent one-off impairment mainly from Olam Palm Gabon (OPG)
Strong operating performance growth of 43.3% for OFI in H2 2020 after Covid-19 impact in H1 2020
US government and EU announce separate major funding for cocoa sustainability in West Africa By Anthony Myers Following reports of serious issues in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana’s cocoa supply chains, the EU and the US Labor Department have both announced financial aid to help the two countries.
The independent research organisation, affiliated with the University of Chicago, revealed that child labour in the two countries remains a significant problem, in the study which was also co-funded by the Department of Labor.
Save the Children and Winrock International will each be awarded $4m grants for cooperative agreements to implement technical assistance projects. Both organisations will work to reduce child labour in these countries’ cocoa supply chains by enhancing cocoa cooperatives’ capacity to monitor child labour and provide greater support to households with children at risk of child labour.
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Covid-19 accelerates the trend towards healthy cocoa By Anthony Myers ConfectioneryNews talks to Wouter Stomph, North America Head of Ingredient Development & Innovation, Olam Cocoa, on the latest confectionery trends and why celebrating cocoa as an ingredient in its own right will play a significant part.
CN: What are the repercussions from the COVID19 pandemic and how is the chocolate industry reacting?
WS: The emergence of COVID-19 meant 2020 was a year of nostalgia, as the pandemic saw anxious consumers opting for comforting and familiar favourites rather than trying out adventurous, new flavour combinations. This had an impact on NPD and we’ve seen many of our customers choosing to expand their successful product lines and flavours into more formats, rather than taking risks on new or more adventurous product lines.
Responsible design of supply and value chains and sustainability are important issues for the German confectionery industry, as it calls again for EU-wide legislation.
The organisation representing German confectionery manufactures has said it welcomes the government’s agreement on a practical approach to a supply chain law - but has reiterated its demands for a uniform European initiative.
The Federal Association of the German Confectionery Industry (BDSI) said German companies are already playing a leading role worldwide, using 72% cocoa and over 90% palm oil, which are certified according to sustainability standards.
Certification standards
It said it welcomes the German government s agreement on a practical approach to a supply chain law using certification standards set by Fairtrade and the Rainforest Alliance, with their strict requirements for the prevention of abusive child labour.