August 2025 News & AMA | #PodSaveChocolate Ep 141

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Episode 141 Overview

People participating live can ask AMA questions in the chat at any point during the episode. News topics lined up to be covered include:

The Ongoing Saga of the Cost of Cocoa

NewsFlash:
Hartree Partners, a US-based energy and commodities trader, is reportedly in negotiations to acquire the storied French agro-industrial firm Touton, which handles nearly 10% of global cocoa trade. Hartree entered the soft commodities space last year with the purchase of UK-based ED&F Man Commodities, a centuries-old player in sugar and coffee.

The [ICE] exchange is now requiring those trading its cocoa futures - used as a benchmark for pricing physical beans around the world - to put up large amounts of cash as collateral against potential trading losses.

Other Scheduled News Topics In This Episode

ICI Says the Obvious: Disappoints Again | #PodSaveChocolate Ep 140

Episode 140 takes a look at a recent report issued by the ICI - “Tackling child labour in cocoa: Results of ICI’s Member Reporting Exercise 2024.” What it says, and why this reporter is unconvinced.

The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon

Cocoa crisis: The main causes

The past year and a half has seen price hikes in cocoa that, while stabilising, show no signs of dropping back to the pre-2024 “normal”.

ConfectioneryNews.comAugustus Bambridge-Sutton

EUDR Update: Legislator’s Remorse? | #PodSaveChocolate Ep 137

Episode 137 explores some implications of a recent vote by the EU Parliament to amend the EUDR, as well as calls to delay (again) it coming into force. [Updated to include links to other episodes dedicated to EUDR coverage.]

The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon

“The Future” of the Chocolate Value Chain

Mars bets on CRISPR to save cocoa from climate chaos

Mars partners with Pairwise to use CRISPR tech for developing disease- and climate-resilient cacao, aiming to secure future cocoa supply.

ConfectioneryNews.comDonna Eastlake

Where will the cocoa supply of the future come from?

With disease, weather and aging trees hampering yields in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, are there other locations that could provide a better home for cocoa production?

ConfectioneryNews.comAugustus Bambridge-Sutton

Cocoa shortage reshapes recipes and what counts as chocolate

Cocoa shortages are forcing brands to rethink recipes and labels. Discover how the industry is responding with sustainable alternatives and legal caution.

ConfectioneryNews.comNicholas Robinson

Top most valuable food brands 2025 announced

Nestlé tops Brand Finance’s 2025 food brand rankings for the 10th year, valued at $20bn - $7bn ahead of Lay’s. Lindt enters the top 10 with strong price acceptance, while Cadbury climbs and Heinz improves but stays outside the top 20.

ConfectioneryNews.comDonna Eastlake

Other Stuff

F/S – complete chocolate making equipment set – Netherlands

Complete setup for small scale production. Ideal for starting up, as you want to run 1kg batches. Based on Chocolate Alchemy. This has processed around 100kg of beans thus far. All with Dutch plugs, except for the vibrating table (has UK plug – but can provide the adapter used) Roasting – Molino Airfryer Has a rotating drum to ensure good and even heat distribution. Good for 1kg batches. A…

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Questions?

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Episode Hashtags and Socials

#News #AMA #Trends
#cocoa #cacao #cacau
#chocolate #chocolat #craftchocolate
#PodSaveChoc #PSC
#LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife

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The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon

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The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon

PodSaveChocolate

Hosted by Clay Gordon, the creator and moderator of TheChocolateLife.com, #PodSaveChocolate covers a wide variety of topics in the worlds of cocoa and chocolate. The video versions of this podcast are hosted and archived on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Click on the PodSaveChocolate link in the top nav on TheChocolateLife for the links to the post accompanying each episode.

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