Ghana and South Africa move to create truly African chocolate
Ghana is one of the world’s biggest cocoa producers. Traditionally that cocoa is sold cocoa to Europe to create chocolate.
Now Ghana is processing more cocoa itself, and a trade mission by South African businesses explored ways to create entirely African value chains for chocolate.
South African companies typically buy chocolate from Europe, even though it was made with Ghanaian cocoa. From 17 to 21 February, the International Trade Centre (ITC) brought South African buyers to Ghana. They visited cocoa warehouses, processing facilities, and Ghanaian chocolate producers. This gave them a first-hand look at Ghana’s well-established traceability systems, which allow companies to track cocoa batches from farm to port, meeting stringent EU sustainability requirements.
A workshop also gathered 25 participants, representing 15 women-owned cocoa and chocolate businesses. Some 70% of Ghanaian chocolate producers are led by women.
‘After nearly 30 years of importing chocolate into South Africa, it seems incredible that we have been sourcing cocoa products from Europe rather than directly from Africa,’ said Barbara Queally, CEO of GMPF South Africa. ‘Ghana is highly industrialized, and after seeing the quality of production firsthand, I am confident we can cut out the European middleman.’
The trade mission was facilitated by the ITC Alliances for Action initiative – in the framework of the Netherlands Trust Fund V and SheTrades Commonwealth + Programme.
Adding value in Ghana
South Africa buyers are increasingly looking to source cocoa products closer to home, aligning with a global push for sustainable sourcing and supply chain transparency.
‘It was an incredibly professional trip, with inspiring meetings, valuable contacts, and a true discovery of the cocoa business in Ghana,’ said Philip Lelard, Managing Director of Accinsa South Africa.
A new era for South-South trade
With the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) facilitating regional trade, Ghana is well-positioned to expand its cocoa exports within the continent. Ghana offers premium cocoa, pricing, delivery, and long-term supply partnerships.
One major South African buyer expressed strong interest in introducing a Ghanaian chocolate range to South African retail markets, marking a significant step towards reducing reliance on European imports.
‘Despite the growing need for intra-African trade, there hasn’t been a clear platform for buyers and manufacturers to connect,’ said Desmond Aboagye, Business Development Manager at Niche Cocoa. ‘This ITC programme is creating the perfect opportunity for those interactions to happen.’
South Africa’s food sector has seen an increasing demand for sustainably sourced, high-quality chocolate, and this mission allowed buyers to see first-hand how Ghanaian producers are meeting these expectations.
‘The South African market values unique ingredients they can’t easily find at home,’ said Jane Donkor, CEO of Bioko Treats. ‘That insight helps us position Ghanaian chocolate in a way that appeals to international markets.’
Skill sharing and market alignment
A highlight of the visit was a product development workshop in Accra, attended by 30 participants, mainly women-led chocolate manufacturers. Director Greg Henderson of the South African Chefs’ Association led the workshop with chocolatier Kyle Hickman from premium chocolate brand Afrikoa’s Head. They focused on product refinement, tempering, storage, and commercial applications of cocoa products.
‘This workshop has been an incredible opportunity to learn from South African chefs and explore how we can incorporate local Ghanaian ingredients into our creations,’ said Kimberly Addison, co-founder of 57 Chocolate.
The exchange of knowledge between South African and Ghanaian chocolatiers reinforced the idea that value addition is not just about processing – it’s about creativity, innovation, and market-driven product development.
A competitive future ahead
With demand for high-quality, African-made chocolate growing, such initiatives strengthen Ghana’s cocoa businesses, fostering job creation and growing trade within the continent.
‘This visit marks a significant opportunity for us to strengthen our foothold on the African continent,’ said Michael Arhin, General Manager of Plot Enterprise Ghana Limited. ‘ITC has been preparing us for this, and we see this as a massive opportunity to expand our presence and build stronger trade relationships across Africa.’
Facilitating direct market linkages and fostering regional collaboration will help pave the way for a more inclusive, sustainable, and competitive cocoa industry in Africa.
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Ghana’s cocoa sector is taking steps towards value addition and intra-African trade, as South African buyers explore direct sourcing opportunities with Ghanaian chocolate producers, of which 70% are women-led businesses.
About the programme
The Netherlands Trust Fund V (NTF) (July 2021 – June 2025) is based on a partnership between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands and the International Trade Centre. The programme supports MSMEs in the digital technologies and agribusiness sectors. Its ambition is two-fold: to contribute to an inclusive and sustainable transformation of food systems, partially through digital solutions, and drive the internationalization of tech start-ups and export of IT&BPO companies in selected Sub-Saharan African countries.
The SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme, implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC), and financed by the United Kingdom (UK) International Development, aims to foster an enabling gender-responsive business ecosystem by promoting inclusive policy and data, and engaging business support organizations (BSOs), private-sector partners, and women-led businesses in Commonwealth countries and their key trading partners.
