The Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Randy Abbey, together with the Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Benin and Togo, H.E. Simone Giger, have paid a working visit to KOA Impact at Achiase in the Eastern Region.
The visit aimed to provide first-hand insight into the company’s innovative extraction of cocoa sweatings for the production of cocoa juice—an emerging value-added process creating new opportunities within the cocoa sector.
Discussions during the engagement focused on strengthening collaboration between COCOBOD and the Swiss-based company to scale up the initiative across other cocoa-growing regions. The move forms part of broader government efforts to diversify cocoa products and enhance value addition within Ghana’s cocoa industry.
Speaking during the visit, Dr. Abbey expressed strong enthusiasm about the initiative, noting that it would increase awareness among farmers of the full economic potential of cocoa while providing additional income streams.
“Cocoa as a fruit has numerous benefits. This initiative highlights its wide-ranging value—from health and cosmetic applications to chocolate and juice production—demonstrating why cocoa must not be underestimated,” he stated.
He further emphasised that such innovations could significantly improve livelihoods across all cocoa-growing regions, while underscoring the importance of maintaining Ghana’s reputation for premium cocoa quality.
“Ghana’s cocoa quality gives us a competitive advantage on the international market. Therefore, all processes must be carefully managed to preserve this standard,” he added.
Addressing these concerns, the Chief Executive Officer of KOA Impact, Anian Schreiber, assured that the extraction of cocoa sweatings does not compromise the quality of cocoa beans. He explained that maintaining high standards largely depends on farmers, hence the company’s strong focus on farmer education.
“We train farmers on good agronomic practices, proper fermentation techniques, and sustainable methods to ensure that bean quality is consistently maintained,” he said.
Mr. Schreiber further revealed plans to expand operations into additional cocoa-growing regions, positioning cocoa juice extraction as a key avenue for value addition. He also highlighted the company’s commitment to promoting organic cocoa cultivation and dynamic agroforestry systems to ensure environmental sustainability and long-term benefits for farmers.
The visit underscores growing partnerships aimed at unlocking the full cocoa value chain while positioning Ghana as a leader in innovative and sustainable cocoa production. The delegation also toured the KOA Impact processing facility as part of the visit.
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