This Christmas, make sure your chocolate does not harm the planet
2 years, 3 months ago

This Christmas, make sure your chocolate does not harm the planet

Al Jazeera  

Our insatiable demand for chocolate is destroying forests – but there is a way for us to have our cake and eat it too. However, just like cocoa, palm oil farming is causing severe deforestation, especially in the countries leading the production effort, namely Indonesia and Malaysia. There are ways of producing and consuming cocoa and palm oil that are sustainable, and steps are being taken to make sure we can continue to enjoy chocolate without harming the planet. The Cocoa & Forests Initiative, for example, is a commitment by cocoa-producing countries and top chocolate and cocoa companies to end deforestation, restore forests and stop the conversion of forestland for cocoa production. If you are still planning to buy some chocolate for the holiday season, make sure every item is sustainable, so that your purchase is a treat not only for communities dependent on sustainable cocoa farming but also for the entire planet.

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History of this topic

Ivory Coast's cocoa crop to hold near last season's, minister says
1 month, 1 week ago

Ivory Coast's cocoa crop to hold near last season's, minister says

Hindustan Times  

PARIS, - Cocoa production in Ivory Coast in the 2024/25 season is on course to remain around last season's disappointing level after adverse weather and crop conditions continued, the country's agriculture minister said. Ivory Coast's cocoa crop to hold near last season's, minister says A sharp fall in output in Ivory Coast, the world's biggest supplier of the chocolate ingredient, …

Why Is Chocolate So Expensive Right Now?
1 month, 1 week ago

Why Is Chocolate So Expensive Right Now?

Wired  

This story originally appeared on Grist and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Two reports published last week found that warming is pushing temperatures beyond the optimal range for cacao growth in the countries at the heart of the world’s supply, particularly during primary harvest seasons. “I would hope that by hearing that human activity is making it harder …

Why your Valentine’s chocolate is getting more expensive
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Why your Valentine’s chocolate is getting more expensive

Live Mint  

That is because of sky-high prices for chocolate’s key ingredient, cocoa. The world’s biggest chocolate makers, like Hershey and Mondelēz International, said their prices are rising much more slowly than the price of cocoa, and they prefer taking a hit to profits over a blow to demand. Mondelēz Chief Executive Dirk Van de Put told investors recently that the company …

Valentine's Day chocolates are about to get more expensive! Cocoa prices have risen 400% thanks to climate change, study warns
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Valentine's Day chocolates are about to get more expensive! Cocoa prices have risen 400% thanks to climate change, study warns

Daily Mail  

No Valentine's Day would be complete without a box of chocolates to gift your loved one. Our Valentine’s Day box of chocolates is under threat due to extreme weather in the world’s key cocoa growing regions leading to spiking cocoa prices and an uncertain future for cocoa growers This map indicates number of days above 89.6°F added by climate change …

Chocolate Has a Sustainability Problem. Science Thinks It's Found the Answer
3 months, 4 weeks ago

Chocolate Has a Sustainability Problem. Science Thinks It's Found the Answer

Wired  

So, does the new product pass the taste test? Chocolate made only using the cocoa pod could be considered 100 percent cocoa, meaning that high-percentage products could be produced with less beans, offering the sector a safety net in the face of shortages. Opting for an entirely opposite solution, California-based Voyage Foods has developed a chocolate entirely without cocoa, made …

Scientists have a sweet solution for the climate cocoa crisis : Short Wave : NPR
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Scientists have a sweet solution for the climate cocoa crisis : Short Wave : NPR

NPR  

A hotter climate threatens chocolate. But climate change is contributing to erratic weather where cocoa beans are grown and threatening the global chocolate supply. Record rainfall last year led to fungal infections among cacao trees and dwindled supply of cocoa beans. Sponsor Message So, for day three of NPR's Climate Solutions Week, we look at one innovation in the food …

Scientists tap the power of fermentation to create chocolate without cocoa beans
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Scientists tap the power of fermentation to create chocolate without cocoa beans

NPR  

Scientists tap the power of fermentation to create chocolate without cocoa beans toggle caption Sandra Singh for NPR Climate change is affecting our food, and our food is affecting the climate. toggle caption Sandra Singh for NPR "If you've ever had the chance to try a raw cocoa bean, you will realize that the aroma pretty much doesn't have anything …

Cocoa crisis? How scientists are crafting the future of chocolate
6 months, 4 weeks ago

Cocoa crisis? How scientists are crafting the future of chocolate

Hindustan Times  

Climate change is stressing rainforests where the highly sensitive cocoa bean grows, but chocolate lovers need not despair, say companies that are researching other ways to grow cocoa or develop cocoa substitutes. “There's really no other way that we see that the world could significantly increase the supply of cocoa or still keep it at affordable levels without extensive either …

The scientists making cocoa in a laboratory to meet world’s demand for chocolate
6 months, 4 weeks ago

The scientists making cocoa in a laboratory to meet world’s demand for chocolate

The Independent  

Sign up to IndyEat's free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our food and drink newsletter for free Get our food and drink newsletter for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Scientists and entrepreneurs are working on ways to make more …

Who profits from the soaring price of cocoa?
9 months, 1 week ago

Who profits from the soaring price of cocoa?

New Indian Express  

PARIS: Though cocoa prices on the financial markets have soared, the rise is benefiting cocoa growers, bean processors, speculators and chocolatiers in unequal measure. "Soaring prices have made production more attractive," David Gonzales, coordinator of the Peruvian Chamber of Coffee and Cocoa, told AFP. Mixed fortunes on the markets Cocoa prices have risen because supply has fallen short of demand …

Scientists have found a use for cocoa pod scraps. It could change the future of chocolate
9 months, 2 weeks ago

Scientists have found a use for cocoa pod scraps. It could change the future of chocolate

Salon  

When it comes to talking about chocolate, the words “healthy” and “sustainable” largely aren’t choice descriptors. Researchers ultimately came to a promising conclusion: “A cradle-to-factory life cycle assessment shows that large-scale production of this chocolate could reduce land use and global warming potential compared with average European dark chocolate production. A 2017 report from Mighty Earth — a global advocacy …

Ivorian cocoa farmers ‘barely survive’ while chocolate company profits soar
10 months, 1 week ago

Ivorian cocoa farmers ‘barely survive’ while chocolate company profits soar

Al Jazeera  

Farmers in Ivory Coast, the source of 45 percent of the world’s cocoa beans, battle climate change and market inequality. “We barely survive doing all of this.” But the everyday challenges are made more acute in a hugely unequal market where production shortfalls mean farmers struggle to make ends meet while surging chocolate prices help international companies’ profits to soar. …

Chocolate prices to keep rising as west Africa’s cocoa crisis deepens
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Chocolate prices to keep rising as west Africa’s cocoa crisis deepens

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “I planned to pass it on to my children.” …

Chocolate prices to keep rising as West Africa’s cocoa crisis deepens
1 year ago

Chocolate prices to keep rising as West Africa’s cocoa crisis deepens

Al Jazeera  

Long the world’s undisputed cocoa powerhouses, accounting for more than 60 percent of global supply, Ghana and its West African neighbour Ivory Coast are both facing catastrophic harvests this season. In its most sobering assessment to date, according to data compiled since 2018 and obtained by Reuters, Ghana’s cocoa marketing board Cocobod estimates that 590,000 hectares of plantations have been …

It's a bittersweet Easter for chocolate lovers and African cocoa farmers but big brands see profits
1 year ago

It's a bittersweet Easter for chocolate lovers and African cocoa farmers but big brands see profits

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Mondelez said it raised chocolate prices up to 15% …

Chocolate woes set to last beyond Easter as weather takes toll on cocoa harvests
1 year ago

Chocolate woes set to last beyond Easter as weather takes toll on cocoa harvests

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Easter is set to be …

Buying affordable ethical chocolate is almost impossible - but some firms are offering the next best thing
1 year ago

Buying affordable ethical chocolate is almost impossible - but some firms are offering the next best thing

Deccan Chronicle  

Sussex, Mar 26 With supermarket aisles piled high with assortments of chocolate treats, the choice can seem overwhelming. In terms of chocolate, that usually means avoiding issues such as cocoa’s endemic reliance on child labour, child trafficking and widespread deforestation. However, some new brands, such as the Netherlands’ Tony’s Chocolonely and Scotland’s UP-UP Chocolate, are trying to demonstrate their commitment …

Cocoa beans are in short supply: What this means for farmers, businesses and chocolate lovers
1 year ago

Cocoa beans are in short supply: What this means for farmers, businesses and chocolate lovers

Salon  

A shortage of cocoa beans has led to a near shutdown of processing plants in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, the two countries responsible for 60% of global production. With chocolate makers around the world reliant on west Africa for cocoa, there is significant concern about the impact on the prices of chocolate and the livelihood of farmers. Perhaps the most …

Is CHOCOLATE getting more expensive than ever? Here's why your favorite treat might be hit by inflation
1 year, 1 month ago

Is CHOCOLATE getting more expensive than ever? Here's why your favorite treat might be hit by inflation

Daily Mail  

Chocolate lovers should be prepared to pay more than ever for their favorite treat. Cocoa prices have been rising since the end of 2022 and are up to an all-time high of nearly $6,000 per metric ton as of February 2024 Multiple factors such as weather, disease, and government play roles in the reasons behind the price increase in cocoa …

Takeaways on AP’s investigation into cocoa coming from a protected Nigerian rainforest
1 year, 3 months ago

Takeaways on AP’s investigation into cocoa coming from a protected Nigerian rainforest

Associated Press  

OMO FOREST RESERVE, Nigeria — Habitat for a dwindling population of critically endangered African forest elephants is under threat, a casualty of the world’s appetite for chocolate. Here are takeaways from AP’s investigation: COMPANIES GET COCOA FROM THE FOREST The AP visited plantations and warehouses of farmers and licensed buying agents who acknowledge that they operate illegally in the reserve’s …

Takeaways on AP's investigation into cocoa coming from a protected Nigerian rainforest
1 year, 3 months ago

Takeaways on AP's investigation into cocoa coming from a protected Nigerian rainforest

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Here are takeaways from AP’s investigation: COMPANIES GET COCOA …

Cocoa grown illegally in a Nigerian rainforest heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers
1 year, 3 months ago

Cocoa grown illegally in a Nigerian rainforest heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “We know this is a …

Cocoa grown illegally in a Nigerian rainforest heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers
1 year, 3 months ago

Cocoa grown illegally in a Nigerian rainforest heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers

Associated Press  

OMO FOREST RESERVE, Nigeria — Men in dusty workwear trudge through a thicket, making their way up a hill where sprawling plantations lay tucked in a Nigerian rainforest whose trees have been hacked away to make room for cocoa bound for places like Europe and the U.S. Kehinde Kumayon and his assistant clear low bushes that compete for sunlight with …

Customers urged to avoid buying from leading chocolate firms over ‘inadequate’ ethical standards
1 year, 3 months ago

Customers urged to avoid buying from leading chocolate firms over ‘inadequate’ ethical standards

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A number of leading chocolate brands have been criticised for …

Chocflation! Bars could shrink even further in size amid rise in cocoa prices because of heavy rain in Africa
1 year, 8 months ago

Chocflation! Bars could shrink even further in size amid rise in cocoa prices because of heavy rain in Africa

Daily Mail  

Chocolate bars could shrink even further in size after the price of one of its key ingredients soared. Now experts have warned that it could see food companies, who have already cut the size of their bars and biscuits through 'shrinkflation', considering more reductions - even marketing smaller products as a healthier choice, while charging the same or more. Last …

War and weather driving up chocolate prices amid uncertainty of an El Niño threat
1 year, 8 months ago

War and weather driving up chocolate prices amid uncertainty of an El Niño threat

ABC  

If you think your favourite chocolate treat seems a bit more expensive than usual, you are not wrong. Key points: The price of cocoa has risen 27 per cent in last year, according to Rabobank Sugar prices are also the highest they have been in decade Major cocoa-growing regions have faced poor weather conditions Rabobank analyst Pia Piggott said soaring …

Demand for chocolate causes more illegal deforestation than people realise
1 year, 9 months ago

Demand for chocolate causes more illegal deforestation than people realise

Hindustan Times  

The cocoa supply chain, much like a high-end bar of chocolate, is complex, opaque and a little nutty. Nikolai Kalischek of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and a group of colleagues set out to map deforestation driven by cocoa farming across Ivory Coast and Ghana, which together produce two-thirds of the world’s cocoa. Cocoa area harvested in …

The 'dark' in your chocolate: As chocolatiers pocket billions, cocoa farmers earn less than a dollar a day
2 years, 3 months ago

The 'dark' in your chocolate: As chocolatiers pocket billions, cocoa farmers earn less than a dollar a day

Firstpost  

The ivory coast produces around 45 per cent of the world’s cocoa beans but receives only around four percent of the chocolate industry’s estimated annual worth of $100bn New Delhi: Ivorian government has been trying to force the world’s multibillion-dollar chocolate industry to pay farmers fairer cocoa prices. The ivory coast produces around 45 per cent of the world’s cocoa …

Cocoa farmers fear climate change lowering crop production
2 years, 4 months ago

Cocoa farmers fear climate change lowering crop production

Associated Press  

KOREAGUI, Ivory Coast — For more than 40 years, Jean Baptiste Saleyo has farmed cocoa on several acres of his family’s land in Ivory Coast, a West African nation that produces almost half the world’s supply of the raw ingredient used in chocolate bars. But this year Saleyo says the rains have become unpredictable, and he fears his crop could …

Climate change taking cocoa farmers ‘back to zero’ in Ghana
2 years, 5 months ago

Climate change taking cocoa farmers ‘back to zero’ in Ghana

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Cocoa farmers in the Ahafo region of the west African country say climate change is bringing more erratic rainfall, …

The powerful new use for cocoa
3 years, 9 months ago

The powerful new use for cocoa

BBC  

The powerful new use for cocoa Getty Images Cocoa is a huge part of life and the economy in Ivory Coast, but until now the husks of the cocoa pod have been discarded as waste The world's largest producer of cocoa, Ivory Coast, has found an inventive use for the cocoa plant that could power millions of homes. The country's …

EU tells Ivory Coast to brace for stricter cocoa laws
4 years, 2 months ago

EU tells Ivory Coast to brace for stricter cocoa laws

Al Jazeera  

The eurozone hopes to ratify laws later this year to protect forests, curb child labour and end farmer poverty. The European Union on Friday urged the Ivory Coast to prepare for stricter cocoa laws that the body hopes to ratify later this year with the aim of protecting forests, curbing child labour and ending farmer poverty. In September, the EU …

Our Endless Appetite For Chocolate Has Bitter Environmental Consequences
4 years, 6 months ago

Our Endless Appetite For Chocolate Has Bitter Environmental Consequences

Huff Post  

Above: A man cuts cocoa pods on a cocoa farm in the village of Andou M’batto, in the region of Alepe in Ivory Coast on Sept. 21. Credit: Thierry Gouegnon for HuffPost The endless global appetite for chocolate has bitter consequences in West Africa, especially in Ivory Coast and Ghana, where most of the world’s cocoa originates. It’s a public-private …

Chocolate’s Heart of Darkness: Child Labour in Ivory Coast
4 years, 8 months ago

Chocolate’s Heart of Darkness: Child Labour in Ivory Coast

Al Jazeera  

The dark side of a $100bn industry where enslaved children work in cocoa fields for the chocolate we all love to eat. This film, Chocolate’s Heart of Darkness, goes to Ivory Coast, which produces about 40 percent of the world’s cocoa. The Ivory Coast farms and cooperatives then supply the cocoa to the biggest chocolate producers in the world. In …

World Chocolate Day 2020 celebrated to mark introduction of food in Europe; all you need to know
4 years, 8 months ago

World Chocolate Day 2020 celebrated to mark introduction of food in Europe; all you need to know

Firstpost  

chocolate has been consumed by humans for a very long time. Botanical evidence shows that the plant from which chocolate is made was first grown for food more than 5,000 years ago in the Amazon rainforest Chocolate is one of the few plant-derived food items that are universally appreciated across cuisines and in various forms. Botanical evidence shows that the …

US border officials investigating whether to block chocolate imports over child labour fears
5 years, 5 months ago

US border officials investigating whether to block chocolate imports over child labour fears

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A team from US Customs and Border Protection visited agricultural …

The bittersweet truth: Chocolates can be harmful for the environment
6 years, 11 months ago

The bittersweet truth: Chocolates can be harmful for the environment

Hindustan Times  

Your favourite chocolates may be significantly harming the environment, say scientists who found that the UK chocolate industry produces about 2.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gases in a year. The study estimates that the UK chocolate industry produces about 2.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gases a year. “Cocoa is cultivated around the equator in humid climate conditions, mainly in West …

A Dip In Global Prices Creates Cocoa Crisis For Ivory Coast's Farmers
8 years ago

A Dip In Global Prices Creates Cocoa Crisis For Ivory Coast's Farmers

NPR  

A Dip In Global Prices Creates Cocoa Crisis For Ivory Coast's Farmers Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Duval Smith for NPR Alex Duval Smith for NPR In all his 50 years, Georges Kouamé Koffi has eaten chocolate once. "They are waiting to reopen when the international price goes up," says Traoré, who claims he has never seen trucks backed …

Cocoa’s reign as world’s best commodity lures corporate cash
9 years, 4 months ago

Cocoa’s reign as world’s best commodity lures corporate cash

Live Mint  

London: In a year that’s spelled disaster for commodities from oil to coffee, cocoa stands out the best performer, and companies are taking notice. This year’s El Nino weather pattern is pushing prices even higher by threatening to reduce output from Ecuador to Indonesia, just as most raw materials like crude oil tumble on surplus supply. Market shortage Supplies will …

Britain's 'chocolate greenhouse' is saving the world's cocoa
10 years, 1 month ago

Britain's 'chocolate greenhouse' is saving the world's cocoa

Daily Mail  

Work is important in creating a steady supply of cocoa, which makes sure the price of chocolate doesn't soar and crops meet demand It’s a chocoholic’s worst nightmare: a disease ravages cocoa crops, causing a worldwide chocolate shortage and the price of sweets to soar. ‘Cocoa plants are generally quite difficult plants to grow,’ said Heather Lake, a technician at …

Asia chocolate consumption compounds world cocoa shortage
10 years, 8 months ago

Asia chocolate consumption compounds world cocoa shortage

Live Mint  

Singapore/London: Surging consumption of chocolate in Asia is pushing cocoa bean prices to the highest level in three years as buyers including Barry Callebaut AG expand their search for more supply. While demand in the region ranked as the world’s lowest per capita in 2013, the market will grow at almost twice the global rate over the next four years, …

Cocoa-nomics: Why chocolate really doesn’t grow on trees
11 years, 1 month ago

Cocoa-nomics: Why chocolate really doesn’t grow on trees

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Story highlights CNN's Freedom Project returned to Africa's cocoa plantations to look for progress in fight against child labor Chocolate industry worth an estimated $110 billion a year, but cocoa grown by some of world's poorest people Cocoa farmers earn just a tiny fraction of the cost of the average chocolate bar Global demand for cocoa outstrips supply, …

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