July News & AMA | #PSC 216

By Clay Gordon | | | 7 min read
July News & AMA | #PSC 216

OVERVIEW: Episode 216 of #PodSaveChocolate features chocolate and cocoa news fit to eat, as well as the monthly live AMA (Ask Me Anything about chocolate or cocoa) for July 2026.

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This stream begins at 10:00 MST (10:00 PDT, 11:00 MDT, 12:00 CDT, 1:00 pm EDT) on Tuesday, July 14th, 2026.

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The July Member AMA call is scheduled for Friday the 24th, beginning at 11:30 am PDT/MST following PodSaveChocolate. The link to participate can be found in the July member newsletter.
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Episode 216 Overview

In this episode: Chocolate News that’s Fit to Eat™ for July 2026.

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People participating live can Ask Me Anything in the chat at any point during the episode. (*As long as it’s about chocolate or cocoa.)

The Ongoing Saga of the Cost of Cocoa

MARKETS
Barchart.com Futures Prices / Futures Overview
Trading Economics Chart
TradingCharts.com 1977 Baseline
ICCO Pricing Stats

More Headlines

TCL Weekly Chocolate News Brief: June 29 – July 6
The TCL Weekly Chocolate News Brief is a membership benefit for Premium (paid) members of TheChocolateLife.
The Chocolate LifeTheChocolateWire
TogetherCocoa’s Biggest Risk Is an Own Goal
Editor’s Comment: The cocoa industry’s latest collaborative venture starts with broad support. Its challenge is convincing the sector that it intends to play an open game
From The Desk of CocoaRadar™Anthony Myers
Liberato Milo is the newly-appointed Chairman of the TogetherCocoa Foundation,. He is also the Head of Confectionery, Ice Cream, Cocoa Beverages & Permissible Snacking at NestlĂŠ.
Inside Big Chocolate’s Cocoa Plan B
Cocoa alternatives have gone mainstream. From Mars and Nestlé to Lindt, Mondelēz and Barry Callebaut, leading confectionery companies are investing in cocoa-free chocolate, cultivated cocoa and innovative ingredients to tackle soaring cocoa prices and supply chain challenges.
William Reed LtdDonna Eastlake

NestlĂŠ is talking out of all sides of its mouth.

SAI Platform unveils regenerative agriculture framework backed by global food companies
More than 40 food companies have backed SAI Platform’s new programme to help standardise regenerative agriculture and accelerate adoption across global supply chains.
New FoodBen Cornwell
Regenerating Together Programme — SAI Platform
Building the regenerative capacity of agriculture through a global, farmer-centred, industry-led initiative.
SAI Platform
EUDR’s Compliance vs. Reality
EUDR forced the market to buy digital traceability. Six months from enforcement, the more companies invest in compliance visibility, the wider the gap between what is reported and what is real.
LinkedInMiguel P.

"Nearly 60% of cocoa producers now carry a digital ID for every farmer. Yet 28% have mapped zero farms" (Farmforce 2026).

British EUDR? UK government to introduce anti-deforestation rules
In Europe, the EUDR, the EU’s anti-deforestation regulation, fast approaches. Now, the UK has announced its own rules. While the details of the rules have yet to be solidified, it will cover coffee, cocoa, palm oil, soy and rubber, and will apply in Great Britain (the UK excluding Northern Ireland, where the EUDR will apply).
William Reed LtdAugustus Bambridge-Sutton
25th Anniversary Lifetime Membership offer
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I began my career as a professional chocolate critic, journalist, consultant, and educator in mid-May 2001. That means I am celebrating my 25th anniversary as a professional chocolate critic, journalist, consultant, and educator in 2026. To help me celebrate, I hope you will consider becoming a Lifetime Member!

This updated special offer is available through December 31, 2026.

Learn More About Lifetime Membership!
ECF and ECA publish Joint Industry Specification for jute bags and jute yarns in cocoa and coffee supply chains - ECF
17 June 2026 – The European Coffee Federation (ECF) and the European Cocoa Association (ECA) have jointly published a new Industry Specification for jute bags and jute yarns used as food-contact packaging in cocoa and coffee supply chains. The specification establishes a modern alternative to the IJO98/01 standard, which has governed jute bag production for... View Article
ECFMartina Fumagalli
Lindt hits 100% cocoa milestone amid Big Confectionery sustainability drive
Lindt & SprĂźngli reaches 100% Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa as Big Confectionery accelerates sustainability, farmer income and long-term supply resilience.
William Reed LtdDonna Eastlake
Döhler commits to cocoa‑free future with Nukoko acquisition
Döhler’s acquisition of Nukoko signals a shift for confectionery as cocoa-free chocolate moves from niche to scalable solution amid supply and cost pressures.
William Reed LtdDonna Eastlake
‘Fricy’: why it’s the hottest flavour trend of summer 2026
Fricy is the fruity-spicy flavour trend set to dominate summer 2026, blending sweet fruits with chilli heat across drinks, desserts and savoury foods.
William Reed LtdLisa Buckingham

Future Episodes

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Tuesday, July 21st
IICCT “Certification” programs deep dive

Episode Hashtags

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

#PodSaveChocolate and #TheChocolateLifeLIVE Archives

To read an archived post and find the links to watch archived episodes, click on one of the bookmark cards, below.

Pod Save Chocolate Calendar and Archive
News, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. #PodSaveChocolate!
The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon
#TheChocolateLifeLIVE Archive
News, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon
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After a year-long+ experiment, the audio-only versions of PodSaveChocolate episodes have been taken down after an end-of-year review. There were not enough listens to continue uploading episodes and paying for hosting.
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