21st June 2022 – the Cocoa Association of Asia (CAA) International Cocoa Conference & Dinner is now in full planning mode after it announced the new dates back in April with a new theme. The biennial conference will be held on 1st & 2nd September 2022 at the Raffles City Convention Centre (RCCC) in Singapore after an almost 2-year delay due to Covid-19. Ticket sales have also restarted with options to attend the full conference with both evening dinners or conference and day 1 networking.
The Association has committed to hosting the long-awaited CAA International Cocoa Conference & Dinner as the first major in-person event on the international cocoa calendar after a painful 2-year delay. The conference theme has also been appropriately set as “Resilience – Writing the Next Chapter of Asian Cocoa” where we will welcome experts from the region and across the world provide invaluable insights into crucial subjects that will shape our industry in the days to come.
Alvin Lee, CAA Chairman.
There will be 5 main plenary sessions over the 2 days with the inclusion of a new plenary focusing on Women in Cocoa and Chocolate industry. USAID Green Invest Asia will be hosting a panel on climate- friendly cocoa as part of the Cocoa Association of Asia’s International Conference’s Networking dinner on the 1st September.
Organizations reconfirm their support for the conference as Barry Callebaut has also confirmed its position as the Official Chocolate Partner apart from its Platinum Sponsorship, OFI also committed as the Official Sustainability Partner and Gold sponsor. USAID Green Invest Asia came on board as the conference Official Industry Development Partner.
Main Plenary 1 – Macroeconomic Outlook for Asia and the World
Asia continues to be projected as the fastest growing region in an increasingly volatile global macro- environment. In this session, we will debate what the near and longer-term economic outlooks hold for us in the cocoa and chocolate space. Will China continue to tease with its demographic potential for growth in consumption or will India usurp its great rival? Where else in the region should the industry look to place its bets.
Speaker: Mr Karmjit Singh, The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport Singapore Moderated by:
Chris de Lavigne, Partner, Financial Advisory Corporate Strategy/M&A, Deloitte (SEA) Panel:
Alvin Lee, Chairman, Cocoa Association of Asia,
Prof. Annie KOH, Professor Emeritus of Finance (Practice), Singapore Management University Joachim Essig, Head of Sales, Cocoa Processing Equipment, Bühler Group
Paul Wynne, CFO, Henry Bath & Son Limited
Main Plenary 2 – Cocoa Fundamentals Outlook for Asia: Supply and Demand
The outlook of global cocoa production in 2022/23 marketing year remains uncertain as high global farm inputs prices and global logistics disruptions could still hamper cocoa tree’s productivity in major cocoa producing countries. Meanwhile, combination of global geopolitical tensions and lingering covid- 19 pandemic, which are likely to reduce global economic growth in 2022, could still dampen global chocolate consumption growth in 2022. Oscar Tjakra, Executive Director of Rabobank, will discuss what the future holds for cocoa production and consumption in Asia. Where are the future bright spots for growth and the dark clouds?
Speaker: Mr Oscar Tjakra, Executive Director, Rabobank
Moderated by: Antoine Delsart, Deputy Director Cocoa Beans Trading, Touton SA Panel:
Darren Stetzel, Vice President – Softs & Ags, Asia, StoneX Financial Pte. Ltd. Frederic Wenger, Head of Research, OFI (Olam)
Michel Arrion, Executive Director, International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) Max Goettler, Head of Trading, JB Cocoa
Main Plenary 3 – Marketing and Innovation Trends for Asian Cocoa and Chocolate
The COVID-19 pandemic changed consumer priorities, leading to an increased demand for healthy, immunity-boosting, and ecologically sound food and beverage products. Asians of all demographic profiles have shifted their cooking habits, taste preferences and shopping behaviors, resulting in new sales channels forming and crossing. As the pandemic is starting to recede, which of these new consumer interests will remain in the long term? And how do these market trends impact cocoa and chocolate in Asia?
Speaker: Nicole Jansen, Innova Market Insights
Moderated by: Dr Nazlin Imram, Vice President Beverage and Sweet Goods Business Units, Firmenich Panel:
Alister Haigh, CEO, Haigh’s Chocolates
Francesca Kleemans, Managing Director, Cargill Cocoa and Chocolate APAC Racheal Toh, Head of Marketing (APAC), Barry Callebaut Group
Tobias Garritt, Co-Founder & CEO Junglegold Bali
Main Plenary 4 – Sustainability and Social Responsibility in Asian Cocoa
Sustainability is an increasingly hot topic in cocoa, both for risk mitigation and for driving brand value. During this segment, we’ll explore what consumers care the most about in various regional markets and the local impact of global “hot topics” like child labour and deforestation. We’ll also focus on the state of livelihoods for Asian cocoa farmers – what’s improved, what hasn’t changed at all, and how we can ensure the riches pass down to those who need it most.
Speaker: Fay Fay Choo, Director, Mars
Moderated by: Pranav Sethaputra, Lead, Partnerships & Communications at Grow Asia, Grow Asia Panel:
Gricha Safarian, Puratos Grand-Place Indochina Manfred Borer, Chief Executive Director, Koltiva AG
Simon Bakker, Chief Executive Officer, Kennemer Foods International Inc. Christina Rini, Country Support Office Manager, Swisscontact
Main Plenary 5 – Women in Cocoa and Chocolate Asia
The critical role of women in advancing agricultural and rural development, and in ensuring food security, has been widely acknowledged. Achieving sustainable cocoa development, then, is not only the empowerment of women for the advancement of agriculture and rural life; it is the full engagement of women with men in the construction of a new social order – at the level of family, community, and institutions. Women represent a great source of untapped potential in the effort to advance collective prosperity. Mars will be sharing their recent findings surrounding female empowerment and women’s role in the Cocoa supply chain.
Speaker: Fay Fay Choo, Director, Mars Moderated by: Vivian Sia, President, WOMAG Panel:
Ani Setiyoningrum, Sustainability Business Development Manager, Barry Callebaut Nina Rossiana, Markets & Partnerships Manager, Rainforest Alliance
Christy Owen, Chief of Party, USAID Green Invest Asia
Networking dinner session
Title: Climate-friendly Cocoa? What can the Industry do
Global climate action needs to accelerate rapidly over the next decade to avoid the worst impacts of climate change and transform economies to a low carbon pathway.
Global forest loss caused by cocoa production was roughly 2-3 million hectares from 1988 to 2008, which equalled approximately 1% of total forest loss. (mightyearth, n.d.) From 2000 to 2014, the global production of cocoa beans increased by 32 per cent – from 3.4 to 4.5 million tonnes – while the land-use footprint of cocoa plantations grew by 37 per cent – from 7.6 to 10.4 million hectares. With demand for cocoa expected to continue to grow and competition for agricultural land also set to increase, the sector is faced with the urgent task of establishing more sustainable production practices (Alison Hoare, 2017). To change this trajectory, several leading companies in the industry have made net-zero commitments and prioritized the reduction of GHG emissions from changing land use through making needed strides toward sustainable cocoa production.
The panel will feature a conversation among industry leaders to discuss practical actions, challenges, and the pathway to reducing carbon emission for more resilient cocoa production. Panellists will draw from their experience in adopting sustainable sourcing strategies, developing appropriate metrics, and/or developing business models that take into consideration the impacts of climate change. (USAID Green Invest Asia)
Sponsorship and marketing opportunities are still available at what promises to be the biggest cocoa & chocolate industry event in years.
Full details can be viewed at www.caacocoaconference.org
About the CAA
The CAA is a trade association that groups the major companies involved in Cocoa and Chocolate, processing, warehousing and related logistical activities in Asia to work together to transform and promote the cocoa & chocolate industry in Asia for Asia. Building on the unique and vibrant diversity of cross-cultural talents and a growing economy. Our Members processed around 877,00 metric tonnes of cocoa beans in crop year 2021 — approximately 20% of the world production. We as an association network with, and support all the industry actors.
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