From the cocoa bean, pulp and chocolate- nothing goes to waste

“When the product is right, you don’t have to be a great Marketer.” Lee Iacocca.

Welcoming my little girl from the United Kingdom to spend her vacation in Ghana, I got to the airport with a box of chocolate to calm her nerves after a long flight and also give her a welcoming feel. Our ride home was taken over by a chocolate discussion after she opened one Kings bite and had a queen’s bite.

Her outburst after the bite, “is this made in Ghana? Its not big though but very tasty “. I can taste the cocoa unlike the huge bars available in my country with very high suger and milk content”. This expression about Ghana’s chocolate speaks volumes and must not be taken for granted.

Ghana has for over a century carved a respectable reputation worldwide as the producer of the finest quality cocoa beans rated second to its neighbour, Ivory Coast, in the production of cocoa beans with the two West African nations accounting for more than 65 percent of annual global output.

cocoa growers in Ghana still use older and more traditional methods for processing the cocoa beans, which leads to a higher quality bean and more complex flavour than mechanized methods that are used in some other places. That said, it is undeniably true that Ghana’s chocolate with a strong cocoa character has an appealing taste for the chocolate experience.

Here in Ghana, Cocoa processing Company, the sole cocoa processing factory in the sub region which can boast of processing only the choicest premium Ghanaian cocoa beans without any blending is certainly the world’s best established in 1965 with the aim of projecting healthy lifestyles and also producing international quality standards for consumer satisfaction.

“The health and wellness of our people forms our paramount goal hence the 100% cocoa butter as compared to other chocolate manufacturing companies who buy from us (CPC), repackage by adding more sugar, milk and flavours to satisfy the taste needs of the customer without identifying the health and well-being needs of their clients-base as being paramount” Mr. James Rhule, the Public affairs Director of Cocoa processing Company stated.

According to Mr. Rhule, most chocolate manufacturers across the world source materials from CPC in their chocolate and cocoa related productions and has over the years attested to the quality of Ghana’s cocoa products accounting for their consistent cumulative client-base every year.

Ghana’s chocolate has found its way into diverse market spaces across the world and one such unique client is from neighbouring Togo, consistently stacking cocoa products to Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Ivory Coast. That aside, Ghana has market for its cocoa products in Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Kenya.

You can also find the Golden tree chocolate in African shops in the UK and the US while our semi-finished products can be seen in Europe, the Netherlands, Belgium and other Asian destinations.

Getting finished products such as our Golden Tree Ghanaian chocolate bars into the international markets though a herculean task owing to non-tariff barriers used across the world by industrialized countries to protect local industries against foreign competitions including licenses, quotas, embargoes, foreign exchange restrictions and import deposits compounds exports woes.

A Ghanaian based in the UK while in Ghana tried exporting the Ghanaian chocolates to the UK successfully but the product got misplaced on arrival at the UK. To make this dream of exporting the Golden tree chocolate possible, he used his wife who is an American to buy the product to America, got it melted in her small chocolate factory and repackaged for the American market.

Another American entrepreneur of Ghanaian origin “Omanhehe” also able to get the Ghanaian Chocolate into the International market by providing his company approved packaging materials to the Cocoa Processing Company for exports while others use agents to sneak products into forign markets.

Exporting 95% of its raw materials ranging from the cocoa liquor, butter, natural/ Alkalized cake or powder, Ghana remains the world best potent chocolate producer, identified on the World market performing chart-index as the second largest in the world which also is the most expensive, giving its quality and health benefits.

In processing the cocoa beans to a semi-finished product, out springs the Cocoa Liquor which is 65% fats from which the cocoa butter is extracted with the residue referred to as the cocoa cake grounded to get the cocoa powder.

From its raw materials, the Company supplies potassium to soap and body cream manufacturers and also use the cocoa shells as manure procured by farmers to help nourish and boost their farm produce while the liquor residue finds its way into pharmaceuticals to help underweight patients gain weight, stimulate the nervous systems of weak people, calm hyperactive people and improve digestion and kidney functions.

Every fragment of the cocoa is useful, from the pod which is used as manure to fertilize the soil to regain its strength, the seeds from which our cocoa and chocolate products are made while the shells and husk are supplied to soap manufacturers for the popular “alatae samina” soap owing to its rich potassium content.

Polished fancy bowls and other fabricated usables emanates from cocoa residues contributing greatly to Ghana’s economic prospects which can be enhanced with adequate government support through production expansion capacity of CPC to engage more hands, augment and produce more raw materials and finished products for a greater market, jobs and healthy livelihoods.

Cocoa processing Company aside its healthy and delectable cocoa products, also employs over 300 staff with employment opportunities for other private individuals into cocoa and chocolate beverages alongside traders and vendors who depend on the sale of such products for survival.

To maintain the taste and health standing of our chocolate, Mr. James Rhule, the Public Affiars manager identified that owing to the delicate and efficacious nature of chocolates, and its 100 percent unadulterated cocoa content, the product draws from its environments thus CPC is very keen on ensuring sales at good hygienic environments to ensure safety and non-contamination by clients.

“To get our chocolates safe and tasty, we have rigorous processes involved in the application, trade and sales of chocolates and chocolate related products in Ghana which requires clients to apply to CPC, have their facilities and place of trade inspected to ensure proper storage, sales, health and safety of the cocoa products for consumers across the country to avoid contamination which could alter the taste and flavour.

This simply implies that, you cannot keep the Ghanaian chocolate near toiletries, or polluted environments to avoid contamination an area CPC seriously guard against for quality, health and safety of all. Take a bite and keep up health.

The writer is a staff of the Information Services Department (ISD)