COPAL COCOA Info. 470.doc · Web viewManley said the 2010/11 global surplus, which Olam estimates...

INSIDE THIS ISSE: ICCO DAILY COCOA PRICES LONDON (LIFFE) FUTURES

MARKET UPDATE NEW YORK (ICE) FUTURES

MARKET UPDATE FROM THE NEWS MEDIA TIT BITS

COPAL COCOACOPAL COCOA InfoInfo

A Weekly Newsletter of Cocoa Producers' Alliance

Health and Nutrition Weekly challenge: 4 ways to use cocoa to reap

health benefits Vinegar, cocoa boost good cholesterol levels Cocoa linked to better brain 'efficiency'

Production and Quality Agriculture ministry turns eyes to developing

cocoa industry

The Market Top cocoa trader Olam warns of global deficit Cocoa soars after Olam deficit report Cocoa prices rise on tight supply despite good

Africa production Cocoa Supply May Trail Demand By 100,000

Tons, Jenkins Says

Business & Economy Promoting sustainable cocoa trade in Ghana Research and Markets: Cocoa Market in

Malaysia: Business Report 2011 Cocoa: Incentives produce a steadily rising crop JFX, ICDX launch tin and cocoa contracts

Labour Issues Cocoa farmers elect officers in OndoThe Cocoa

Environmental Issue

Research & Development Chocolate replacer can reduce cocoa content

50%, says Muntons

Do your health a favour, drink Cocoa everyday

‘It’s nature’s miracle food’UP-COMING EVENTSUP-COMING EVENTS IN THISIN THIS

Issue No. 470 12th – 16th December 2011

Low export demand pummels Ivorian cocoa price

Processing & Manufacturing

Promotion & Consumption Recipe: Try a non-traditional white chocolate

beverage for National Cocoa Day National Hot Cocoa Day: Chocolate recipes for

winter's best warming drink

Others

In the News (from Newspapers worldwide)

ICCO Daily Cocoa PricesICCO Daily Price

(SDR/tonne)ICCO Daily price

($US/tonne)London futures

(£/tonne)New York futures

($US/tonne)

12th December 1426.55 2210.18 1434.67 2187.67

13th December 1478.52 2288.19 1490.33 2266.00

14th December 438.92 2211.02 1440.33 2201.33

15th December 1416.51 2176.74 1414.33 2167.00

16th December 1387.75 2135.53 1386.67 2123.67

Average 1430.00 2204.00 1433.00 2189.00

COCOA PRODUCERS’ ALLIANCE, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY COMPLEX TAFAWA BALEWA SQUARE, P.O. BOX 1718, LAGOS, NIGERIA. TEL: +234(0)1-263-5574 FAX: +234(0)1-263-5684

Email: [email protected] Website: www.copal-cpa.org2

mailto:[email protected]

International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE)London Futures Market – Summary of Trading Activities

(£ per tone)

Monday 12th December 2011 Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low Volume

Dec 2011 1281 1362 81 1383 1232 15,049Mar 2012 1330 1419 81 1464 1287 29,941May 2012 1350 1434 82 1467S 1304S 5,267Jul 2012 1364 1451 80 1483S 1323 2,349Sep 2012 1382 1467 80 1493S 1339S 1,605Dec 2012 1400 1481 80 1510S 1352S 1,044Mar 2013 1403 1493 82 1500 1361S 519May 2013 1413 1503 84 1413S 1371S 194Jul 2013 1423 1513 83 1423S 1387S 45Sep 2013 1429 1475 96 1431S 1403S 75

Average/Totals 1460 56,088

Tuesday 13th December 2011 Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low Volume

Dec 2011 1360 1403 41 1404 1360 3,819Mar 2012 1435 1473 54 1485 1418S 22,547May 2012 1449 1490 56 1495S 1432S 2,893Jul 2012 1470 1508 57 1513 1449 2,243Sep 2012 1466 1524 57 1535S 1466 1,667Dec 2012 1486 1538 57 1540S 1485 1,110Mar 2013 1512 1550 57 1555 1512S 560May 2013 1547 1560 57 1547S 1547S 40Jul 2013 1557 1570 57 1558S 1556S 20Sep 2013 1536 61 0


Wednesday 14th December 2011 Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low Volume

Dec 2011 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/AMar 2012 1477 1423 -50 1482 1414 11,019May 2012 1497 1440 -50 1499S 1433S 1,866Jul 2012 1515 1458 -50 1515S 1450S 1,139Sep 2012 1528 1474 -50 1528S 1467S 1,077Dec 2012 1541 1487 -51 1543S 1476 517Mar 2013 1535 1498 -52 1535 1498S 34May 2013 1537 1506 -54 1537 1537 5Jul 2013 1510 -60 0Sep 2013 1476 -60 0Dec 2013 1476 0


Thursday 15th December 2011



http://www.nybot.com/reports/dmrs/etsDMRs/dmrFutures.asp?dmrMonth=04&dmrDay=11&dmrYear=2007&commodityID=1&commodityType=future






Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low VolumeDec 2011 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/AMar 2012 1416 1394 -29 1433S 1385 6,596May 2012 1438 1412 -28 1451S 1403S 1,564Jul 2012 1454 1437 -21 1469S 1423S 1,427Sep 2012 1468 1452 -22 1484S 1437S 1,862Dec 2012 1479 1465 -22 1492S 1454S 683Mar 2013 1490 1474 -24 1508S 1460S 292May 2013 1492 1481 -25 1492 1465 70Jul 2013 1491 -19 0Sep 2013 1438 -38 0Dec 2013 1438 -38 0


Friday 16th December 2011 Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low Volume

Mar 2012 1407 1369 -25 1407 1364 9,732May 2012 1412 1387 -25 1425S 1382S 2,303Jul 2012 1428 1404 -33 1442S 1401S 1,535Sep 2012 1458 1418 -34 1458S 1415S 1,425Dec 2012 1471 1428 -37 1471S 1425S 731Mar 2013 1470 1439 -35 1480S 1441 168May 2013 1479 1448 -33 1479S 1479S 4Jul 2013 1490 1458 -33 1490S 1490S 6Sep 2013 1405 -33 0Dec 2013 1405 -33 0


Average for the week 1416 2892 2892











New York Board of Trade(New York Futures Market – Summary of Trading Activities)

(US$ per tone)

Monday 12th December 2011 Month Open Price Change High Low Volume

Dec 2011 1947 2021 85 1987 1947 5Mar 2012 2057 2181 114 2246 1983 39,612May 2012 2086 2193 107 2259 2005 8,257Jul 2012 2067 2210 106 2274 2027 1,767Sep 2012 2113 2217 101 2260 2038 977Dec 2012 2119 2226 103 2289 2064 445Mar 2013 2129 2242 106 2300 2057 189May 2013 2134 2257 109 2134 2090 149Jul 2013 0 2269 110 0 0 0Sep 2013 0 2278 110 0 0 0

Average/Totals 2209 51401

Tuesday 13th December 2011 Month Open Price Change High Low Volume

Dec 2011 2143 2101 80 2143 2101 4Mar 2012 2182 2243 62 2265 2175 25,127May 2012 2200 2260 67 2279 2190 4,374Jul 2012 2231 2277 67 2292 2227 1,695Sep 2012 2228 2285 68 2300 2228 746Dec 2012 2275 2294 68 2312 2275 467Mar 2013 2290 2306 64 2320 2290 22May 2013 0 2316 59 0 0 3Jul 2013 0 2328 59 0 0 2Sep 2013 0 2340 62 0 0 1


Wednesday 14th December 2011 Month Open Price Change High Low Volume

Dec 2011 0 2023 -78 0 0 0Mar 2012 2256 2180 -63 2274 2155 12,786May 2012 2262 2200 -60 2285 2173 2,154Jul 2012 2288 2219 -58 2295 2200 708Sep 2012 2299 2230 -55 2313 2210 1,020Dec 2012 2309 2244 -50 2323 2222 355Mar 2013 2333 2261 -45 2333 2240 345May 2013 2285 2277 -39 2285 2272 58Jul 2013 2292 2291 -37 2304 2292 30Sep 2013 2316 2304 -36 2316 2315 5


Thursday 15th December 2011










Month Open Price Change High Low VolumeDec 2011 0 0 0 0 0 0Mar 2012 2192 2151 -29 2210 2128 10,569May 2012 2209 2172 -28 2224 2149 1,716Jul 2012 2216 2188 -31 2238 2165 779Sep 2012 2245 2198 -32 2251 2180 951Dec 2012 2257 2213 -31 2261 2190 221Mar 2013 2261 2232 -29 2276 2220 106May 2013 2294 2251 -26 2299 2251 31Jul 2013 0 2266 -25 0 0 0Sep 2013 0 2275 -29 0 0 0


Friday 16th December 2011 Month Open Price Change High Low Volume

Dec 2011 0 0 0 0 0 0Mar 2012 2157 2101 -50 2177 2095 18,694May 2012 2173 2121 -51 2191 2115 2,198Jul 2012 2199 2135 -53 2203 2128 1,337Sep 2012 2195 2148 -50 2213 2141 1,107Dec 2012 2211 2165 -48 2230 2160 403Mar 2013 2240 2181 -51 2240 2179 115May 2013 2232 2198 -53 2232 2194 183Jul 2013 2250 2217 -49 2250 2213 105Sep 2013 0 2230 -45 0 0 1


Average for the week 1950 4390 4390











News

Weekly challenge: 4 ways to use cocoa to reap health benefitsBoston.comBy Deborah Kotz, Globe Staff12/12/2011I love weekly challenges that are temptations rather than chores. Here’s a great one that I gleaned from a recent issue of Health magazine. It details four ways to use cocoa -- yes the ingredient in chocolate -- to protect your heart, improve your skin, boost your mood, and reduce cravings. We’re talking cocoa, not oatmeal!

1. Protect your heart. Cocoa is packed with plant chemicals called flavonoids that can help lower blood pressure and reduce the “bad” LDL cholesterol. Add a teaspoon to your coffee, a banana smoothie, or glass of skim milk. Mix it with cinammon and sprinkle on French toast. Aim for a total of one tablespoon a day.

2. Quell your cravings. Instead of delving into a candy stash, take a whiff of chocolate since research suggests simply smelling chocolate can activate the same release of pleasure brain chemicals that you get from actually eating it.

You can also try a new product called Le Whif -- an inhaler-like device that delivers a small shot of cocoa particles to the back of your throat -- developed by Cambridge-based Breathable Foods. David Edwards, a Harvard engineering professor who invented the product, told me the product might help lower chocolate cravings in some. It works when his own kids are begging for junk food on long car rides. “I give them a few puffs and it calms them down,” he said -- at least for a few minutes.

3. Improve your skin. Try making a skin mask out of cocoa to reap its antioxidant benefits. In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 tablespoon ground oatmeal, and 2 tablespoons of full-fat plain yogurt. Apply to freshly washed skin and leave on for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing off.

4. Boost your mood. You don’t need much cocoa to get a little pick-me-up when you’re feeling down. A cup of warm hot cocoa on a chilly night may be all you need to reach that happy place.

Vinegar, cocoa boost good cholesterol levelsNigerian TribuneBy Sade Oguntola 15 December 2011

Cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins are among the most commonly prescribed drugs in the hospital. Statins work by interfering with an enzyme that the body needs to make cholesterol. Along with lowering cholesterol, the drugs may also help the body reabsorb cholesterol that has accumulated on the artery walls, thus preventing further blockage.

Statin drugs are not without risks themselves, even their safety and effectiveness are currently being hotly debated. Many people taking statin complain of pain or numbness in the extremities like fingers and toes as well as cognitive problems. Nausea, diarrhoea, abdominal pain,

constipation, headaches and skin rash are their known side effects

Its other side effects include increase in blood glucose levels, tendon problems and increase in liver enzymes, leading to permanent liver damage. Because of this latter risk, people taking the drugs must have their liver function tested periodically.



NEWS

Health and Nutrition


Though, statin drugs do lower cholesterol very well, other food items suggested to be helpful in lowering cholesterol include vinegar and cocoa, thus making them panacea to preventing heart disease.

Researchers believe that vinegar can boost good cholesterol levels. They suggested that a spoonful or two of vinegar a day may help to boost good cholesterol levels. A clinical trial, conducted by the University of Minnesota, in the United States of America, which looked at 120 people, half of whom had the vinegar while the others were given a placebo containing a two per cent balsamic vinegar solution in water, indicated that people who consume apple cider vinegar for eight weeks had improved levels of good or HDL cholesterol compared with those given a placebo.

Ironically, benefits of apple cider vinegar, a common kitchen remedy for arthritis and gout are many. It has already been shown to lower blood sugar levels and reduce appetite. A separate study based on animals with diabetes showed that apple cider vinegar lowered levels of bad cholesterol and improved good cholesterol.

What is more, a combination of cocoa and skimmed milk may beneficially affect cholesterol levels in the blood of people that are at high-risk of cardiovascular disease, According to new data from Spain, daily consumption of 40 grammes of cocoa powder and 500 mL of skimmed milk for four weeks was associated with increases in HDL (good) cholesterol levels, and reductions in levels of oxidised LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Scientists from the University of Barcelona in a report that provided further evidence for recommending regular consumption of cocoa as a useful tool against risk factors for [coronary heart disease] wrote in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases that milk plus cocoa was associated with a five per cent increase in HDL cholesterol levels, compared to only milk. In addition, cocoa plus milk was associated with a 14 per cent reduction in oxidised LDL cholesterol levels, compared to milk only.

While it is known that consumption of cocoa polyphenols may boost HDL cholesterol levels, and decrease LDL cholesterol levels, the Japanese researchers stated that “the mechanisms responsible for these effects of cocoa on cholesterol metabolism is yet to be fully elucidated”.

To date studies have reported potential benefits of cocoa for cardiovascular health, skin health, and even brain health.

Cocoa linked to better brain 'efficiency'ABC Science OnlineAnna Salleh ABC15 December 2011

chocolate drink

In the study people who drank cocoa did not have to work their brain as hard to do the same task, say researchers (Source: John Shepherd/iStockphoto)

A new study suggests a cocoa drink a day could help boost the efficiency of your brain's working memory, but it's too early to say for sure.

The randomised double-blind placebo controlled trial, led by Dr David Camfield of the Centre for Human Psychopharmacology at Swinburne University, was funded by a large chocolate manufacturer. "It does provide preliminary evidence that [cocoa flavanols] can help people to do cognitive tasks more effectively," says Camfield, whose research is published in the journal Physiology & Behaviour.

Flavanols are chemicals found in plant foods, including grapes, apples, tea and cocoa and have been linked to a range of health benefits, says Camfield. This latest study looked at the effect of cocoa flavanols on spatial working memory, which holds information in the brain and makes it available for further processing

Camfield says spatial working memory declines rapidly as people age.




His study involved 63 middle-aged volunteers aged between 40 and 65 years, who were asked to drink a chocolate drink each day for 30 days before being tested. "We looked at brain imaging while people were doing a spatial working memory task," says Camfield.Screen tests

In the task, volunteers looked at dots displayed on a screen. Then for about 3 seconds, the screen went blank and during that time the participant had to hold in their memory the location of the dots. They were tested several times to see whether they could remember where the dots were.

The volunteers were divided into three groups. One group had a drink containing 500 milligrams of cocoa flavanols, a second group had a drink with 250 milligrams of cocoa flavanols and a third group had a placebo drink. None of the groups knew exactly what they were drinking.

The tests were carried out before and after the 30-day treatment period and each time the researchers carried out imaging to check the brain's activation. "We didn't find any differences in terms of accuracy or reaction time in terms of task itself, but we found differences in the brain activity," says Camfield.Less brain power

Camfield says the frontal and posterior parietal areas of the brain involved in the task were less active in those consuming the cocoa flavanols. "It's suggests that they were processing the tasks more efficiently when they were taking the cocoa flavanols," he says. "I guess you could say they weren't working as hard doing the same task."

Camfield says the findings also suggest cocoa flavanols may guard against brain fatigue, but emphasises more research needs to be done.

The Centre for Human Psychopharmacology focuses on researching nutraceuticals, which are natural alternatives to pharmaceuticals, for an ageing population. The centre receives funding from industry as well as the Australian Research Council. He says while the study was funded by a chocolate company, it had no influence on how the study was carried out. "They didn't have a role in how we did the science or analysed the data," says Camfield.

"Promising" findingsSydney-based nutrition consultant, Nicole Senior says the findings are "promising" and add to other evidence showing chemicals in cocoa are good for the heart, but she says it's important to remember the pros and cons of chocolate.

"Chocolate carries with it a lot of kilojoules in a small and delicious package. Dark cocoa powder tops the list of cocoa foods with minimum nutritional downsides, which you can make into a drink," she says."Dark chocolate is better than milk chocolate because it contains higher cocoa solids and antioxidant content and is also stronger in flavour and more satisfying so you can be happier with a small portion."

Useful insights

Dr Garry Egger who is a professor of health and human sciences at Southern Cross University says the study does not prove that a cup of hot chocolate a day will boost your memory. "This is just a short-term study," says Egger.

In general, he is not a fan of the idea of people selectively eating particular foods to boost their health and abilities. But, he says, the research is part of general trend towards testing the impact of isolated foods on human health, which provides useful insights into what makes up a healthy diet.

Egger says cocoa is an ancient food and has also been shown to reduce inflammation. He says recent evidence suggests unprocessed foods that humans have evolved with over the long term are generally showing better effects on the body when tested in isolation.




Agriculture ministry turns eyes to developing cocoa industryViet Nam News December, 14 2011

An officer of the Central Highlands Agro-Forestry Scientific and Technical Institute, based in Buon Ma Thuot City, checks the development of a new cocoa variety. Viet Nam targets to expand cocoa farming areas and the sustainable development of cocoa production. — VNA/VNS Photo Phuong Hoa

BEN TRE — The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has set its sights on bringing 35,000 hectares under cocoa farming and increasing exports of the bean and other products to US$60 million by 2015.

In a report, which it released at the International Cocoa Conference held yesterday in Ben Tre Province, the ministry said the country now grew cocoa on a total of 20,100ha. The annual output of cocoa beans was 240 tonnes while exports were worth $520,000, it said.

While 4,555ha are in the Central Highlands, by far the largest area under the crop is in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta – 12,115ha.

Delegates at the conference said with the area under cocoa in the country remaining tiny, the yield was low. Besides, the cocoa products were not of high quality since farmers considered it a subordinate crop after coconut, cashew, coffee, pepper, and fruits, they pointed out. Only 2,300ha of cocoa was intensively cultivated, the report said.

Delegates recommended that modern technologies should be used for processing cocoa beans to achieve higher quality.

The ministry is seeking sustainable development of cocoa production and thus a gradual rather than sudden increase in the area under the crop. It is developing plans for producing international standard cocoa in the country. Thus far in Viet Nam, only 541ha have been certified by UTZ Kapel as meeting international standards in cultivation, harvesting, and post-harvest activities.

There are 12 UTZ certified co-operatives in several provinces like Dak Nong, Dak Lak, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, Tien Giang, and Ben Tre.

The delta provinces of Tien Giang and Ben Tre are developing organic cocoa cultivation.

The ministry said demand for certified Vietnamese cocoa products was rather high among international buyers.

Cargill Viet Nam is the leading buyer of cocoa from farmers and processors in the Central Highlands and the delta. —VNS

Top cocoa trader Olam warns of global deficitReutersBy Sarah McFarlaneDec 12, 2011LONDON (Reuters) - Leading cocoa trader Olam International Ltd (OLAM.SI) warned on Monday of a tightening global market in 2012, with supplies moving into deficit after this year's record surplus drove prices too low.



Production & Quality

The Market


Spot cocoa futures prices in New York and London surged 10 percent off their session lows after Gerry Manley, the head of Olam's cocoa division, told Reuters he expects world 2011/12 production to fall around 100,000 tonnes short of grindings. Other traders have generally seen the market as balanced. "We think there's a likelihood the deficit could increase; the arrivals at the moment look good and we believe that's because of some carry over from last year," he said, forecasting a dramatic drop in arrivals from January onwards.

As one of the world's four biggest traders of cocoa, Olam has a nearly unrivaled view of the opaque and secretive market, which is the year's second-worst-performing commodity after fears of a lengthy civil war in top producer Ivory Coast yielded to a surplus of supply. The news fueled a rash of short-covering as traders bet the slump had gone too far.

NYSE Liffe NYSE.N cocoa futures, which had fallen by as much as 45 percent since the height of unrest in Ivory Coast in March, touched an over three-year low of 1,287 a pound on Monday before rebounding 10 percent to close sharply higher.

Manley said the market was oversold due to the size of the 2010/11 surplus and the expectation of forward crop sales from Ivory Coast in the wake of their planned cocoa sector reforms. "Given the fundamental story, the outlook for next year as we see it, and given some uncertainty with the macro side of the picture, particularly in Europe, we think a price range of 1,600 to 1,700 pounds is a more realistic value," he said.

Olam's view is more bullish than the norm. Commodities broker Marex Spectron said a month ago that it expected a supply surplus of 32,000 tonnes, while the International Cocoa Organization said in late September it expected a balanced market. The ICCO hasn't provided a more recent forecast.

Manley said the 2010/11 global surplus, which Olam estimates at 500,000 tonnes, has contributed to strong port arrival figures in the world's top producer Ivory Coast, which is currently shipping its 2011/12 main crop.

Cocoa arrivals at ports in top grower Ivory Coast reached 422,430 tonnes by December 4, up from 400,043 tonnes in the same period a year ago, according to data from Bourse du Cafe et Cacao (BCC) obtained by Reuters on Friday.

FALL IN IVORY COAST

Olam expects Ivory Coast's main crop to fall to just over 1 million tonnes in 2011/12, down from 1.35 million tonnes the previous year, when ideal weather boosted West African output.

Grindings growth, an indicator of demand, was forecast at 3 percent in 2011/12, mainly driven by emerging market demand for cocoa powder, Manley said.

When a cocoa bean is processed it makes roughly equal parts butter and powder. In recent years powder demand has outpaced butter demand due to most of the cocoa products consumed in emerging markets being powder-based including chocolate-flavored cakes and ice cream.

The weaker demand for butter has led to cheaper prices for what was once the premium cocoa product. "We still believe that butter stock is being added to, but less so than in the past, and we do believe at these price levels there is much better off take for butter," Manley said. "It's very marginal but there is some small switch back from substitutes and some replacement for other fats. As an outright price it's hard to believe butter could go too much lower than this."

IVORY COAST REFORMPart of Ivory Coast's cocoa sector reform plans include an intention to sell forward up to 80 percent of their crop.

However, Manley said that at current price levels it would be surprising if the 2012/13 crop was sold forward.

"We don't see why they would like to commercialize the crop at levels that wouldn't give their farmers a good price in the future," Manley said.




Cocoa soars after Olam deficit reportBusiness Recorder (blog)December 13, 2011Business Recorder Logo Cocoa futures rallied Monday after commodity house Olam forecast a cocoa deficit in 2012, sparking a short-covering surge following a fresh fall in bean values to a 3-year low earlier in the session.

Gerry Manley, the head of cocoa in Olam International, told Reuters in London that world 2011/12 cocoa production is expected to fall around 100,000 tonnes short of grindings, a key measure of consumption, as the market switches back to deficit after a record surplus the previous year.

"It (the Olam news) gave the shorts a reason to cover," said Country Hedging Inc senior analyst Sterling Smith."(Olam) provided us the bounce in this market." The short-covering spree touched off automatic buy order stops and powered the move in both New York and London, with the two markets moving a combined 12 percent each from their lows for the day to the highs for the session.

London's March cocoa contract went up 81 pounds or by 6 percent to settle at 1,419 pounds per tonne, having hit a three-year intra-day low and contract low at 1,287 pounds and then surging to a day's peak at 1,464 pounds.

New York's March cocoa futures rose $114 or 5.5 percent to end at $2,181 a tonne, having touched a contract low of $1,983 and the session peak at $2,246.

US cocoa futures hit its lowest level since November 2008 after dropping more than 28 percent in the past five weeks on ample nearby global supplies and negative macro sentiment.

"Cocoa feels very oversold, but at the same time I am struggling to find any bullish arguments to turn the market around," said Kona Haque, a soft commodities analyst with Macquarie Bank.

"People who have been holding contracts for a very long time, likely, are just pulling the plug," said Hector Galvan, senior market strategist for brokerage RJO Futures in Chicago.

"Underneath this, no one can tell what's going to happen." The benchmark second position has fallen to the lowest technically oversold level since at least 1973, on the relative strength index.

Analysts fear an economic contagion could deflate demand for commodities such as sugar and coffee, depressing prices in t he coming year as a result.

Arabica coffee futures broke out of the lower end of the roughly 30-cent range the second position has held for more than two months.

Global coffee markets could remain tight, with prices rising until May 2012 when supplies from producers such as Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia and Colombia start arriving, putting an end to a bull market, a commodities expert said on Friday.

New York's March arabica contract dropped 6.65 cents or by 3 percent to trade at $2.212 a lb at 1:37 pm EST (1837 GMT).

Cocoa prices rise on tight supply despite good Africa productionFinancial ExpressBy Rajesh RaviDec 13, 2011kochi: While global cocoa prices are declining due to good production in Africa and problems in the euro zone, Indian cocoa prices are moving up on supply concerns. Global cocoa prices have dropped by more than 30-40% from their highest point on speculation that supplies from West Africa, the world’s biggest producing region, will exceed initial estimates. Lower consumption of chocolates in the euro zone due to continuing and worsening economic problems has added to the pressure.




“Indian cocoa production has been hit by erratic climate. In some parts of Kerala, the crop has been damaged and yield is as less as 30% of the normal,” Shiny George of Indian Organic Farmers Company told FE. , “Average price for dry cocoa beans have moved up to R170-180 per kg in the Idukki district. Wet beans command R50 per kg. The commodity is in short supply and demand is very good,” she added.

Indian imports more than half of its requirement of cocoa every year with demand for cocoa increasing at a healthy rate of 8% per annum. The Indian chocolate market is worth some R15 billion and has been hailed as offering great potential for Western chocolate manufacturers as the market is still in its early stages.

Procurement prices of cocoa are already high in India as buyers compete for it. Dry beans were selling around R130-140 per kg during December 2009, while wet beans were sold around R38-45 per kg,” Shiny said. During 2008, around the same time, dry cocoa beans fetched around R80 per kg, while wet beans fetched R25-33 per kg, she added.

Meanwhile, in the international market cocoa prices have come down on speculation that supplies from West Africa, the world’s biggest producing region, will exceed initial estimates. From a 32-year high of $3,775 per tonne on March 11 the price declined to $2,157.33 per tonne, according to the International Cocoa Organization.Indian farmers had a disappointing start with cocoa in the 80s. However, this time cocoa is being promoted more as an inter-crop to coconut and arecanut to spread the risk.

According to the Kochi-based Directorate of Cashew and Cocoa Development (DACCD) sources, Indian cocoa production is likely to cross 17,000 tonne in five years from the present 12,000 tonne. DACCD has plans to bring another 75,000 hectare under cocoa cultivation in the next five years.

DACCD reports show that Indian cocoa production during 2009-10 stands at 12,954 tonne as against 11,820 tonne during 2008-09. During 2009-10, India imported 4348 tonne of cocoa products. This is considerably lower than 12,022 tonne imported during 2008-09.

Cocoa Supply May Trail Demand By 100,000 Tons, Jenkins SaysBusinessWeekBy Marvin G. PerezDecember 15, 2011 (Bloomberg) -- World cocoa production may trail demand by 50,000 metric tons to 100,000 tons in the year started Oct. 1, according to Frank Jenkins, the president for Wilton, Connecticut-based Jenkins Sugar Group Inc.

World cocoa grindings, a measure of demand, will rise 4 percent to 5 percent annually in the coming years, Jenkins said during a presentation at a conference in New York.

Prices will climb to between $2,700 a ton and $2,800 a ton ton by next summer, Ken Lorenze, a vice president for Jenkins, said during an interview at the conference.

Low export demand pummels Ivorian cocoa priceReuters AfricaBy Loucoumane CoulibalyDec 15, 2011

Dried cocoa beans are packed in hessian sacks on a cocoa farm near Amankwakram in Western Ghana on the border with Ivory coast February 14, 2011.

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Cocoa farmgate prices in Ivory Coast extended losses last week amid soft demand from local grinders and exporters, triggering a round of panic selling by growers.

The fall in prices to around 550 CFA francs per kilogram from over 700 CFA francs at the start of the season has already revived smuggling operations to Ghana, where prices are stabilized by the government."Prices have done nothing but fall in the past month," said Aka Marcel, a farmer in




the centre-west region of Daloa, where a quarter of the nation's output is grown. "Almost all the farmers are Prices in Daloa averaged around 550 CFA/kg last week from 600 CFA/kg the week before, he said.

In the western region of Soubre, at the heart of the cocoa belt, farmers said prices were in a range of 500 to 550 CFA/kg, down from 600 to 650 CFA/kg the previous week. In Gagnoa, farmers said the average price was ranging around 500 CFA/kg from 550 to 600 CFA the previous week.

Around Abengourou in Ivory Coast's east, prices were about 530 CFA/kg, well below the 900 to 950 CFA being offered by illegal buyers across the border in Ghana.

The slump in Ivorian farmgate prices comes amid a decline in demand from local grinding companies as well as from exporters at the ports of Abidjan and San Pedro. "The grinders are letting us know that their warehouses and factories are full of beans. And to add to that, the prices at the port are weak," said Lazare Ake, who farms near Soubre. "The growers are discouraged."

The price for a kilogram of cocoa at the port of San Pedro fell to a range of 650 to 675 CFA from more than 725 the previous week, they said. Prices at the port of Abidjan were 675 CFA to 700 CFA per kilogram, down from 750 CFA the previous week, according to a buyer for a major export firm.

The buyer, who asked not to be named, said many chocolate makers in Europe had already stockpiled cocoa prior to Ivory Coast's legislative elections on December 11 and were in no hurry to take on new supply.

Cocoa futures prices have slumped to multi-year lows but got a brief jolt upward earlier this week after Olam forecast a global cocoa deficit, in part due to a decline in production from Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast last year produced a record near 1.5 million tonnes of cocoa, despite a post-election civil war.

The government is seeking to reintroduce stabilised prices by next season to shield farmers from price swings and combat smuggling. The system will involve forward selling of beans and require buyers to participate in auctions. Ivory Coast's cocoa regulator has asked buyers to begin registering for the process, a sign that it is moving ahead with the reform plan.

Promoting sustainable cocoa trade in Ghanaswissinfo.chBy Kaspar Meuli, swissinfo.chDec 12, 2011

Yayra Glover is a businessman with a vision

Ghana is the most important supplier of cocoa for Swiss chocolate makers. But the future of cocoa growing in the west African country is uncertain.

That’s why a joint Swiss-Ghanaian project is attempting to rejuvenate the cocoa industry which is facing the problems of a shortage of young farmers and plantations full of old trees.

“Fair trade begins with the scales,” Yayra Glover says. swissinfo.ch meets the entrepreneur in Ateibu, a remote village in the Eastern Region of Ghana, an administrative area of the country that is one of the largest cocoa growing places in the world. Glover is standing in a hut with a corrugated roof. This is where his company buys the cocoa beans from farmers.



Business & Economy

Processing & Manufacturing


There is an acidic odour of fermenting beans in the air. Along the walls are sacks piled high, and in the middle industrial scales. With the help of calibrated weights, the suppliers can be shown that the scales have not been manipulated, which is often the case in the trade of cocoa beans.Glover is a businessman with a vision. After working in Switzerland for more than 20 years where he studied law and political science, he returned to his homeland to promote the sustainable cocoa trade. “We show the farmer how cocoa cultivation can be a serious business in which you can make good money,” the 46-year-old explains. “But we first have to tell him that he can be proud of his cocoa.

Pesticide free

“The reason is that there are buyers in Switzerland prepared to pay more than the market price, as long as the cocoa is grown without the use of child labour and pesticides.” Yayra Glover Ltd. is already working with 2,500 small farm holdings which run organic cocoa farms. More are being added all the time. “We are constantly receiving requests from traders who are looking for these kinds of beans,” explains Balz Strasser, CEO of Pakka, Glover’s Swiss partner. The young Zurich company is specialised in the development of organic and fair trade projects in countries in the south, particularly products like nuts, dried fruits and cocoa. “It’s extremely difficult for the producers in these countries to get a foot in the door of the European market,” Strasser says. “We support them and set up the necessary supply chain.” The Swiss-Ghanaian organic cocoa project is in a phase where it is expanding quickly. With the support of the economic cooperation and development assistance of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco), the two companies are enlarging their fields of operation to the Volta Region in the southeast of the country.

" A lot of tact is needed when talking about child labour. "Lydia Baffour AwuahTraceability

Key to success is the traceability of the beans. Using GPS-equipped devices, Glover’s staff measure the plantations of the participating farmers, which allows Glover’s company to calculate the size of the harvest. This helps prevent farmers from adding beans from non-certified trees to their organic harvest. Records are kept of the deliveries of each farmer, and a code in black paint is put on every bag that leaves a Glover plant. It’s a simple but effective system. “There are no other suppliers in Ghana who can trace the origin of the beans so precisely,” Strasser says. Awareness of cocoa growing conditions is becoming more important since chocolate makers have increasingly found themselves under fire from NGOs for supporting child labour. And many consumers want to be certain that the chocolate they buy has no bitter aftertaste. Chocolate makers are also worried about potential shortages of the most important ingredient used in their product. Global demand is growing but supply is becoming increasingly uncertain. It’s not only in the Eastern Region that cocoa trees are over-aged, providing less and less fruit. What is more, the average age of a Ghanaian cocoa farmer is 55 – just three years below the average life expectancy. No wonder that chocolate companies are avoiding middle men and establishing direct links with cocoa producers.

Child labour

Not far from Glover’s base in Ateibu are the buildings housing the local primary school. Lydia Baffour Awuah, a member of Glover’s staff, is a regular visitor who comes to talk about the issue of child labour. The young agronomist explains that the worst form of child labour – through human trafficking – doesn’t exist in Ghana. But she says all forms of work are forbidden which hinder a child’s development. Children must attend school regularly and are not allowed to do heavy physical work. “A lot of tact is needed when talking




about child labour,” she explains. “Children should be able to work on their parents’ farm to learn the secrets of cocoa growing.” If this knowledge is lost, the future of cocoa growing will be in doubt. She is herself an excellent example of how young Ghanaians believe in cocoa growing as a way of countering the widespread depopulation of the countryside. Like many Glover employees she comes from the capital, Accra. But today, she is fully engaged in agriculture. “I want to buy my own land as soon as possible, and plant trees. I see my future in the cocoa business and not in the city,” she says.

Research and Markets: Cocoa Market in Malaysia: Business Report 2011Business Wire (press release)December 14, 2011 DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/eb6097/cocoa_market_in_ma) has announced the addition of Merchant Research and Consulting Ltd's "Cocoa Market in Malaysia: Business Report 2011" report to their offering.

“Cocoa Market in Malaysia: Business Report 2011”

Cocoa Market in Malaysia: Business Report 2011 is a comprehensive research of the cocoa market in Malaysia.

The report starts with a brief country profile of Malaysia, including general information and main economic indicators.

Further, the report provides in-depth analyses of the cocoa market in the country. It identifies key market players, including major producers, wholesalers and distributing companies. The third chapter is fully devoted to Malaysia's cocoa market foreign trade. It evaluates volumes and dynamics of imports and exports within the sector in the past three years.

The last chapter lists all major Malaysian consumers of cocoa beans and cocoa, as well as providing results of purchase activity related to these materials, which is achieved by keeping track of various tenders databases, websites and marketplaces.

The aim of Cocoa Market in Malaysia: Business Report 2011 is to provide a tool that will assist group strategy and management team specialists in making correct decisions on how to penetrate the Malaysian market and how to capture maximum commercial opportunities in dealing with business partners in this country.

Cocoa: Incentives produce a steadily rising cropFinancial TimesBy Orla RyanDecember 14, 2011

Bean counters: the money they bring in transforms rural lives and remote villages during the busy season between October and January

When Ghana’s cocoa crop topped 1m tonnes for the first time this year, the world’s second-biggest producer had much to celebrate.

The beans that feed chocolate factories all around the world remain one of the country’s biggest export earners. The money they bring in for an estimated 720,000 farmers transforms rural lives and remote villages

during the busy main crop between October and January.

“Two things went right, the weather was extremely good and the husbandry was good,” says Jonathan Parkman, head of agriculture at Marex Spectron, the commodities broker.

“Every 10 days or so it rained just above normal. When they needed rain they got it. Basic husbandry can really boost productivity.”




Cynics might question whether turmoil in neighbouring Ivory Coast earlier this year – which saw European Union sanctions and a government ban on exports – might have buoyed the Ghanaian crop. Historically, farmers eager to benefit from higher prices send their beans over the border.

Smuggling, industry experts say, amounts to between 80,000 and 100,000 tonnes. Even accounting for this illicit trade, Ghana’s output represents a huge jump from the previous record of 740,000 tonnes in 2005/06.

Good weather helped, but, experts say, the bumper crop is equally the fruit of a long-term government plan to incentivise farmers by paying them more for their beans as well as increased awareness of the need to improve productivity.

This year, farmers will receive 3,280 cedis ($2,002) a tonne, about $2 a kilo. For several years, the government, which sells its cocoa forward, has sought to pay producers a minimum of 70 per cent of the net FOB (free on board) price.

Cocobod, the marketing board does not always meet this target, but industry sources cite its awareness of the need to provide incentives to farmers as a big reason behind steadily rising production.

Officials in nearby Abidjan, the commercial capital of Ivory Coast, which abolished its marketing board about 10 years ago, are working on a reform plan which in part seeks to replicate the Ghanaian experience.

Nevertheless, much needs to be done to boost productivity, which can be as little as 400kg a hectare.

The Ghanaian regulator forecasts output of between 850,000 and 900,000 tonnes this season. Already, buyers heading to the bush question if this will be reached.

Weak productivity has its roots in the history of the west African crop. The cocoa boom of the past 100 years that saw Ghana adopt and quickly dominate production in the early 20th century was made possible by the ready availability of land and labour, not advances in productivity or technology.

Farmers, who typically have smallholdings and lack formal agricultural training, rarely adopt a scientific approach to agriculture.

Productivity is at 40 per cent of its estimated potential, according to a 2008 report commissioned by Cadbury, the chocolate maker. A mix of private and government initiatives to educate farmers dot the country’s cocoa heartlands. Trained farmers can see their yields rise by between 15 and 25 per cent, officials say.

But while programmes such as these helped boost output this year, industry observers say, it is not clear how widespread their impact has been.

Increased productivity – and with it higher production – could also pose risks.

Overall supply in the 2010/11 season that has just ended is expected to have outstripped demand by up to 400,000 tonnes. This has weighed on market prices.

Greater productivity should give farmers more choice and security, argues Philip Sigley, chief executive of the Federation of Cocoa Commerce. “Through diversification, the land that is released by improved productivity [should] be brought into food crop production,” he says, adding that this would not only boost food security but would also give rural communities additional sources of income.

At the same time, the horizons of rural Ghanaians now stretch further than the cocoa farm.

The average farmer is 51 and, even if farm gate prices remain high, many of their children are eager to start life in the city where they can receive a monthly income – not just a bumper pay-out once a year – and their earnings do not depend on the vagaries of the weather. “There is a genuine concern that young people do not want to be cocoa farmers – we have ageing trees and ageing farmers, although in Ghana there has been a commitment to replanting,” says Mr Sigley.




The fate of the cocoa industry rests on the willingness of smallholders in remote communities to harvest the beans. If future generations are to farm the main ingredient needed for the world’s favourite sweet, says Mr Sigley, then the government and donors need to invest more in rural communities.

JFX, ICDX launch tin and cocoa contractsJakarta Post12/16/2011 The Jakarta Futures Exchange (JFX) and the Indonesia Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (ICDX) launched on Thursday futures contracts for cocoa and tin, respectively, with the aim of setting global prices for the two commodities, of which Indonesia is one of the world’s largest producers.

The JFX is opening trading for fermented cocoa bean contracts with a symbol of CC5 in two trading sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m to 2 a.m. Each lot is worth 5 metric tons of fermented cocoa that is required to obtain the Indonesia standardization SNI and will be traded in rupiah. Cocoa contract months will be in March, May, July, September and December.

The JFX has appointed warehouses located in Makassar, Palu and Lampung as delivery points.

About two hours after cocoa futures trading began, the commodity’s price increased about 1 percent from its opening price. The cocoa price for a contract in March increased to Rp 20,080 (US$1.80) from the opening price of Rp 19,810; for May to Rp 20,290 from 19,990; for July to Rp 20,400 from Rp 20,160; for September to Rp 20,420 from Rp 20,260; and for December to Rp 20,570 from Rp 20,390. The total number of lots traded were 84.

Speaking on behalf of JFX president director Made Soekarwo, director Bihar Sakti Wibowo said the trading of cocoa contracts was aimed at pricing discovery and to provide hedging facilities to the cocoa and chocolate industries. “Indonesia is the third-largest cacao producer after Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana. Indonesia is supposed to be able to set a cocoa price,” Bihar said.

At this moment, the price of cocoa is set at the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). “The cocoa futures trade will also help to improve the quality of our cocoa as most of our produce is non-fermented,” Bihar said. He said the JFX expected the cocoa monthly futures trade to reach 1,000 lots during the next three months.

Separately, the ICDX, which trades palm oil and gold, launched a physical tin contract Thursday to establish an alternative to the benchmark of the London Metal Exchange (LME).

The market will also accommodate a futures trade of tins. Initial transactions of tin at the ICDX will begin on Jan. 12. At the ICDX, tin contracts will be coded as INATIN and offered in 5-metric tons lots priced in US dollars. Tins futures trading will be open for 15 minutes, from 2:30 p.m. until 2:45 p.m.

Deputy Trade Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi, who also attended the launching of the Indonesia Tin Market, said that tin futures trading at the ICDX would enable Indonesia, as the largest tin producer, to set the benchmark as an alternative to the LME, which was the international point of reference. “Indonesia, which controls about 70 percent of the world’s tin production, should have a strong bargaining position in the formation of the price of the commodity,” Bayu said. (rcf)

Cocoa farmers elect officers in OndoThe CocoaNigerian TribunelBy Yinka Oladoyinbo, Akure 15 December 2011Association of Nigeria (CAN) has elected Mr Sayina Riman as the National President of the association. Riman was elected at the Annual General Meeting of the association held in Calabar recently, with delegates from the



Labour Issues


six zones of the association also electing other national officers and zonal representatives in the National Executive Council.

A statement made available in Akure and signed by Mr. Robo Adhuze, said other officers elected included Mr Oladimeji Owofemi, Vice President of Lagos/Ogun zone; Chief Lasun Adesokan, VP (Oyo/Osun); Evang. Joshua Oyedele, VP (Ondo/Ekiti); Mr Oscar Tangban, VP (Cross River/Akwa); Chief Olajiire Bamidele, VP (Kwara/Kogi/Northern States); Mr Friday Aghedo, VP (Edo/Delta/Eastern States).

The elections, which were presided over by Ntufam Gabriel Oji, also produced Mr. Adebola Aragbada from Ekiti State as General Secretary; Mr. Godwin Ukwu, National Publciity Secretary; Mr. Ajibade Omotola, Auditor; Mrs. Roseline Ibitoye, Financial Secretary; and Prince Josiah Olayiwola as Treasurer.

The statement said Riman, in his acceptance speech called on all stakeholders to unite under Cocoa Association of Nigeria to meet the challenge of developing the cocoa industry in Nigeria. He noted that the potentials of the number one non-crude oil foreign exchange earning commodity were largely untapped, saying the country had not utilised 10 per cent of its resources in the cocoa industry. He urged all elected officers to brace up for work and be prepared to make sacrifices for the overall benefit of the country, particularly cocoa farmers who received little remuneration compared to their cost of production.

Chocolate replacer can reduce cocoa content 50%, says MuntonsBakeryAndSnacks.comBy Oliver Nieburg, 14-Dec-2011

Related topics: Formulation, Ingredients and additives

UK-based Ingredients firm Muntons has scooped an award for its malt flour and extracts blend that it has said can replace cocoa powder in baked goods by 50% while preserving flavour and colour.

Its Maltichoc ingredient recently won Bakery Innovation of the Year at Food Ingredients Europe (FiE) earlier this month.

The company said its blend of roasted malt flours and malt extracts could help manufacturers reduce raw material costs in any bakery application that

uses cocoa powder or chocolate. It also said the ingredient could be added to existing recipes to premiumise product ranges by enhancing flavour and colour.

Cocoa replacer

Andrew Fuller, senior product development technologist at Muntons, told BakeryAndSnacks.com: “Our product is natural, 100% barley malt, containing no flavours or colour.”

“A reduction of up to 50% in cocoa powder is possible, while seeing no loss of product quality,” he said.

”No other product can make these claims, while offering this level of performance and making significant savings compared to cocoa powder,” he added.

The company said the ingredient was clean label and needed only to be declared as “Barley Malt Flour, Barley Extract”.



Research & Development

Environmental Issue


How much cocoa can you replace?

Asked how much cocoa could be replaced to preserve quality while keeping costs low, Fuller said: “Maltichoc can replace up to 50% of cocoa powder, although we recommend starting at 25% cocoa powder substitution to start with.” “The level of substitution depends on the type of cocoa powder being replaced. Generally, Maltichoc is added at 80% of the level of cocoa powder removed,” he added.

Costs and challenges

According to Fuller, some of Muntons’ customers have said that Maltichoc is half the price they pay for cocoa powder. “We estimate that in a premium chocolate brownie recipe, using 10% cocoa powder, overall cocoa expenditure can be reduced by 12% when replacing 20% of cocoa powder with Maltichoc,” he said.

Fuller said the biggest challenge with Maltichoc is to obtain the same variety of colours and flavours as products formulated solely with cocoa powder. “Cocoa powder varies widely in colour and flavour. The level of Maltichoc therefore has to be adjusted carefully to give the same flavour/colour balance. However, it is flexible enough to replace a variety of cocoa types by simply adjusting the inclusion level of Maltichoc, “ he said.

He added that another challenge was using the ingredient to formulate biscuits. “In biscuits, the lower fat content of Maltichoc compared to cocoa powder can result in modified flow characteristics. The recipe balance would need tweaking in this case to take account of this,” he said. The company said that Maltichoc was available worldwide and came in 25kg sacks.

Recipe: Try a non-traditional white chocolate beverage for National Cocoa DayAnnArbor.comMary Bilyeu | ContributorDec 13, 2011

Today is National Cocoa Day. And yes, you're looking at a picture of a warm drink made with white chocolate rather than with actual cocoa. Please don't write to chastise me!

"Cocoa" technically should be made with cocoa powder, but you know me — I always like to tweak things a bit. And I think that the word, in general usage, could include any form of hot chocolate drink, even if that drink is made with white chocolate, which actually isn't a form of chocolate at all. Don't think too hard, just suspend disbelief.

This white cocoa is the first recipe that ever won me a prize — $50 that thrilled me to such an extent that I became a veritable "contester," with membership in a cooking contest site and traveling to various competitions on a regular basis. I'm proud to say that I've won or placed in more than 60 contests, and it all started with this recipe. "I'm cooking and baking anyway, and someone might give me money for it? Whee!"

Unfortunately, I don't have much opportunity for this endeavor anymore, as my jobs — both the full-time day job and the part-time writing gigs — take up the bulk of my waking hours (of which there are many, since sleep and I aren't usually very chummy). But every so often I still throw my proverbial spatula into the ring.

I'd entered this recipe into the AAA Michigan "Zero-Proof Mix-Off" in 1997 on a whim. They were seeking non-alcoholic beverages to support their campaign against drinking and driving at the holidays, and this was a perfect option. I was invited to demonstrate my recipe and serve it to judges at a live event, and the recipe was one of only five finalists.

I received an honorary prize simply for making it to the finals, while someone else won the $250 grand prize. But that was okay — I'd had success on my first try! I'd had a fabulous time. I'd learned a lot about presentation for future competitions. Everything about it was wonderful.



Promotion & Consumption


This is a ridiculously simple drink to make, and it is a nice change from plain ol' hot chocolate (even though I do happen to love hot chocolate). Warm up with something a little different on our cold Michigan winter evenings, and be sure to celebrate National Cocoa Day somehow!National Hot Cocoa Day: Chocolate recipes for winter's best warming drinkThe Star-Ledger - NJ.comBy Kimberly L. Jackson/The Star-Ledger December 13, 2011

National Hot Chocolate Day is today, and Nestle, the company we think about for chocolate bars, chocolate milk powder and Toll House cookies, has a wide assortment of recipes for chocolate drinks inspired by various parts of the globe at its meals.com website.

The site has just been updated with new recipes in honor of National Hot Cocoa Day. Nutella fans will enjoy Hazelnut Hot Cocoa, which has spoonfuls of the popular spread stirred in. Like a little coffee with your

hot chocolate? The Mocha Cocoa recipe blends milk, instant coffee and milk chocolate morsels for a mocha sweetened with honey and topped with whipped cream.

Hazelnut Hot Cocoa: Pour 3/4 cup of heated milk into a large mug; stir in an envelope of Nestle hot cocoa mix in Rich Milk Chocolate flavor, 1 to 2 tablespoons hazelnut spread (such as Nutella), a pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of salt.

Nestle Toll House Hot Cocoa: Blend 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/3 cup Nestle Toll House® baking cocoa in medium saucepan. Gradually stir in 1/3 cup milk to make a smooth paste. Stir in another 3 2/3 cups of milk. Warm over medium heat, stirring constantly, until hot (do not boil). Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract. Pour evenly into 5 mugs. Top with whipped cream or miniature marshmallows, if desired, before serving.

Mocha Cocoa: Heat 4 cups of milk, 3/4 cup of milk chocolate morsels, 2 tablespoons Nescafe’ Clasico instant coffee granules and 1 tablespoon honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until morsels are melted. Remove from heat. Pour evenly into 5 mugs. Top with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Looking for something more unusual? In addition to recipes for both hot cocoa and hot chocolate, meals.com also has recipes for Latin American chocolaty drinks such as Champurrado, which incorporate masa (corn) flour, and another hot chocolate with quick oats. There is more international flair with options such as cinnamon-infused Mexican-style cocoa, “German Chocolate” hot cocoa flavored with coconut extract and Irish hot cocoa with a touch of cream liqueur.



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