Cargill has completed a US$100 million expansion of its cocoa processing facilities in Yopougon, Côte d’Ivoire, a move that adds significant volumes to the company’s cocoa-grinding capacity. With this investment, the Yopougon facility is now the single largest cocoa-grinding plant in Africa.

The upgrades, which included infrastructure enhancements and safety improvements, increased production capacity at the site by 50%, creating nearly 100 full-time, local jobs and hundreds of indirect jobs. 

Demand for cocoa powder rises
Notably, a significant share of the plant’s additional processing capacity will supply dark brown cocoa powders in high demand.

While the Yopougon expansion was driven by unprecedented demand for Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate products, it also supports its larger vision to transform the cocoa sector.“Consumers, especially in Eastern European, Middle Eastern and African markets, are increasingly drawn to bakery and confectionery products with the strong, chocolatey visual appeal made possible by rich, deep brown cocoa powders,” says Niels Boetje, cocoa managing director for Cargill’s Cocoa and Chocolate business. 

“With the new technology installed at our Yopougon plant, we’re now better equipped to supply the full range of our customers’ needs, from delicate light to intensely dark Gerkens cocoa powders.”

While the Yopougon expansion was driven by unprecedented demand for Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate products, it also supports its larger vision to transform the cocoa sector. 

Harold Poelma, president of Cargill Cocoa and Chocolate, explains: “This investment will catalyze the establishment of a broader, local agri-food industry, as we shift a greater share of our global grinding activities to the countries of origin.”

Ensuring sustainability 
By partnering with governments and other key stakeholders in West Africa, Poelma says Cargill aims to drive economic growth in cocoa-origin countries through the company’s cocoa-processing operations, sustainability activities and other collaborations. 

The Cargill Cocoa Promise, which is the company’s commitment to improving the lives of cocoa farmers and their communities while growing cocoa sustainably, helps support this broader goal.

As part of that commitment, Cargill will invest US$13 million over the next year in expanded and new programming to create stronger, more resilient cocoa-farming communities in Côte d’Ivoire. 

This includes nearly US$6 million to support farmer coaching and training efforts, alongside an additional US$3.5 million aimed at expanding traceability projects in the world’s top cocoa-producing nation.

Tracking and transparency
These efforts will include work to increase financial traceability to cocoa farmers in Cargill’s direct supply chain. 

To date, Cargill has linked more than 20,000 West African farmers to banks and mobile network operators. The company aims to connect 140,000 more cocoa producers to financial institutions in the coming years, enabling direct, digital payments.Cargill’s activities in Côte d’Ivoire span more than two decades, including the opening of the Yopougon plant in 2000.

This information is fed into Cargill’s CocoaWise digital platform, making it possible to track in full detail how premium payments made by customers for sustainable-verified cocoa and direct sustainability projects are distributed and invested. Other traceability aspects, including physical cocoa bean traceability using electronic tracking and impact transparency, are also part of the CocoaWise platform.

Cargill’s activities in Côte d’Ivoire span more than two decades, including the opening of the Yopougon plant in 2000. 

Moves in cocoa sourcing
Today, the newly upgraded facility produces cocoa powder, cocoa butter, liquid cocoa liquor and solid cocoa liquor, high-quality ingredients exported around the world.

Cargill’s acquisition of Aalst, a Singapore-based chocolate manufacturer, recently closed, as it was highlighted as “an investment that expands the company’s Asia-Pacific cocoa and chocolate offerings and capitalizes on APEC’s tremendous growth potential.”

Meanwhile, in August, Cargill entered a multi-year research agreement with vertical farming pioneer AeroFarms to identify the optimal conditions for cocoa tree growth and, in turn, build a more resilient cocoa sector. 

Cargill also used World Chocolate Day to emphasize how sustainability is taking on increased importance in cocoa and chocolate. According to Cargill’s survey of over 7,000 European consumers, 70% of consumers factor sustainability into their F&B purchase decisions.