What to Read: Kwame Kwarteng is digging around the cocoa-chocolate industry
on.substack.com
This week, we interviewed Kwame Kwarteng, the writer behind Cocoa Diaries Newsletter, a publication that looks critically at the global cocoa-chocolate sector.
This was eye-opening: "be cautious in your support of any campaign that paints all child workers with a broad brush, as that can be an injustice to children who use that as a route out of child poverty." Reminds me of advocacy to curtail the work of erotic dancers / strippers because of how it objectifies and demeans women - when, in fact, many of those women find it empowering and lucrative and feel anything but demeaned. Thorny topic, I know. But life is full of nuance and ambiguity. I wish more people could embrace that, rather than living in extremes.
An awe inspiring story, I'd love to visit your land and taste a hot cocoa to be nourished by mama-africa, as we said in Portuguese. Thank you for sharing your story.
@kwame this was a lovely read and I enjoyed learning a little about you. I am passionate about a fairer market in cocoa production and trading and constantly looking into organisations trying to do better. I recently came across FairAfric chocolate all across Accra. They claim to be “premium quality organic chocolate...produced from tree to bar in rural Ghana. This wildly increases Africa's share of the value chain in the chocolate industry.” They also claim to pay the highest cocoa premiums in West Africa: 600 USD per ton of cocoa. I would love to pick your brain on this. That may require a discussion beyond Substack, if interested. But for the purpose of this public discussion I would love to know your thoughts on these efforts and if this is going far enough.
This was eye-opening: "be cautious in your support of any campaign that paints all child workers with a broad brush, as that can be an injustice to children who use that as a route out of child poverty." Reminds me of advocacy to curtail the work of erotic dancers / strippers because of how it objectifies and demeans women - when, in fact, many of those women find it empowering and lucrative and feel anything but demeaned. Thorny topic, I know. But life is full of nuance and ambiguity. I wish more people could embrace that, rather than living in extremes.
Fascinating and heart warming at the same time.
An awe inspiring story, I'd love to visit your land and taste a hot cocoa to be nourished by mama-africa, as we said in Portuguese. Thank you for sharing your story.
I love following writers that cover esoteric themes like cocoa. So interesting.
Yet to read this and I am already very excited! 👏🏽
@kwame this was a lovely read and I enjoyed learning a little about you. I am passionate about a fairer market in cocoa production and trading and constantly looking into organisations trying to do better. I recently came across FairAfric chocolate all across Accra. They claim to be “premium quality organic chocolate...produced from tree to bar in rural Ghana. This wildly increases Africa's share of the value chain in the chocolate industry.” They also claim to pay the highest cocoa premiums in West Africa: 600 USD per ton of cocoa. I would love to pick your brain on this. That may require a discussion beyond Substack, if interested. But for the purpose of this public discussion I would love to know your thoughts on these efforts and if this is going far enough.
Interesting, I’d be interested to know his thoughts on some of the ways people are trying to solve these issues in Peru:
https://thepalladiumgroup.com/news/The-Cocoa-House-is-on-Fire-Can-We-Wake-Up-and-Change
Very relatable interview. The experiences feel true because they are true with the experiences of the cocoa sector in Nigeria.
A thought provoking concept of child labour being a way out of poverty.
Curious your thoughts on this: https://www.bloombergquint.com/onweb/child-labor-in-cocoa-belt-is-norway-wealth-fund-s-moral-dilemma
It looks like Mars Inc/Mars Wrigley is represented on the council (only three members) the board of directs of the FCC.
Here is a list of the voting members:
Trade
Mr E Bourgeois (Walter Matter SA)
Mr P Davis (S&D Sucden)
Mr A Delsart (Touton SA)
Mr M Stolz (Rockwinds)
Mr N de Wasseige ( Ecom Agrotrade Ltd)
Industry
Business to Consumer ("BTC")
Mr R Bergamasco (Ferrero Trading Lux SA)
Mr K Heffernan (Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK Ltd)
Mr P Leudet (Mondelez International)
Business to Business ("BTB")
Mr V Acursio (Natra Cacao SL)
Mr J Leuning (Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate)
Mr M Vashista (Olam International Ltd)
Production/Exportation
Mr V O Akomeah (Cocoa Marketing Company (Ghana) Ltd), alternate Mr F Amponsah-Doku
Mr K-D Z Bamba (Conseil du Café et du Cacao), alternate Mr P Kipre
Mr A A Murthada (Starlink Global & Ideal Ltd)
Mr E Poku (Niche Cocoa Industry Ltd)
I remember hearing about Mars Inc and its domination of the cocoa market in Ghana and elsewhere...