SINGAPORE, Indonesia Today – Blommer Chocolate Company, the largest cocoa processor and ingredient chocolate supplier in North America and Olam International Limited, a global integrated supply chain manager of agricultural products and food ingredients, have established a 50:50 joint venture named GrowCocoa.
“GrowCocoa will bolster the cocoa supply chain based on the combined strengths of both partners; in origin sourcing and access to farmer groups, technical chocolate product manufacturing expertise and established retail customer relationships,” Olam said in a disclosure to SGX this morning.
Olam and Blommer first combined their efforts in a programme in Indonesia in 2004 where cocoa was in decline due to low incomes and increasing problems related to pests and diseases. The initial program was Sulawesi Farmers Olamm & Blommer (SAFOB), which was followed with Cote d’Ivoire Farmers Olam & Blommer (CIFOB) in 2005. Both companies claimed SAFOB impacts 37,000 farmers in Indonesia and 18,000 farmers in Cote d’Ivoire.
“GrowCocoa will build upon the 55,000 farmers already engaged in the program, committing to reach a total of 100,000 farmers by 2015, which will include new initiatives in other producing countries,” the companies said.