#PodSaveChocolate Calendar & Archive
News, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. #PodSaveChocolate! [ Updated October 16th, 2024. ]
»» 2024 Episodes ««
November
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Friday, November 22nd
No episode of PodSaveChocolate is scheduled: I will be at the MWCCF.
No episode of PodSaveChocolate is scheduled: I will be at the MWCCF.
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Tuesday, November 19th
Topic: (tentative) MWCCF preview
Topic: (tentative) MWCCF preview
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Friday, November 15th
Topic: TBD
Topic: TBD
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Tuesday, November 12th
Topic: TBD
Topic: TBD
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Friday, November 8th
Topic: November News & ANA
Topic: November News & ANA
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Tuesday, November 5th
Topic: TBD
Topic: TBD
Note: Future episodes of PodSaveChocolate will continue to start at 10h00 Mountain Standard Time. If you are in another time zone in the US, the start time will be one hour earlier beginning with the November 5th episode.
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Friday, November 1st
Topic: Brussels Trip Report
Topic: Brussels Trip Report
October
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There will be no episodes of PodSaveChocolate on October 22, 25, and 29 as I am traveling.
September
August
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There was no episode of PodSaveChocolate on Tuesday, August 27th because of a scheduling conflict.
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There was no episode of PodSaveChocolate on Friday, August 9th because of an unforeseen personal scheduling conflict.
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There was no episode of PodSaveChocolate on Friday, August 2nd because of an unforeseen personal scheduling conflict.
July
📆
Tuesday, July 30th
Because of a family emergency, this episode with Luciana Monteiro – Ara Cacao (Brasil), had to be rescheduled. Stay tuned!
Because of a family emergency, this episode with Luciana Monteiro – Ara Cacao (Brasil), had to be rescheduled. Stay tuned!
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Friday, July 19th
No episode
No episode
June
❎
There is/was no episode of PodSaveChocolate on Tuesday, June 4th.
May
❎
There was no episode of PodSaveChocolate on Tuesday, May 21st.
April
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In The High Cost of Expensive Cocoa: Part 1 host Clay Gordon discusses the significant increase in the price of cocoa, which has reached near-historic highs. Reasons behind this trend are explored, including crop diseases, weather conditions, and speculation from hedge funds and big chocolate companies. The decline in cocoa production in Ghana and Ivory Coast, the world's largest producers, has contributed to the shortfall, which contributes to rising prices.
Clay discusses the impact of these price increases on farmers, fine chocolate makers, and smaller chocolate producers, arguing that the current state of the cocoa industry is a result of the practices of big chocolate and cocoa companies over the past 50 years, which have externalized risks and costs onto small farmers. Clay calls for international pressure on Cocoa Boards and for farmers to hold these companies accountable. They also encourage consumers to demand change and consider new business models to support farmers and prevent the market from returning to the status quo.
The episode also touches on the potential shift in cocoa production to new regions and the implications of this for direct trade relationships and farmers.
— summary prepared by summarize.tech and edited by Clay
Clay discusses the impact of these price increases on farmers, fine chocolate makers, and smaller chocolate producers, arguing that the current state of the cocoa industry is a result of the practices of big chocolate and cocoa companies over the past 50 years, which have externalized risks and costs onto small farmers. Clay calls for international pressure on Cocoa Boards and for farmers to hold these companies accountable. They also encourage consumers to demand change and consider new business models to support farmers and prevent the market from returning to the status quo.
The episode also touches on the potential shift in cocoa production to new regions and the implications of this for direct trade relationships and farmers.
— summary prepared by summarize.tech and edited by Clay
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Friday, April 5th – No episode – on my way to ABQ.
March
February
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Tuesday, February 20th – No episode
January
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Tuesday, January 6th – No episode
Reason: Returning from Nigeria
Reason: Returning from Nigeria
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Friday, January 12th – No episode
Reason: Traveling in Nigeria
Reason: Traveling in Nigeria
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Tuesday, January 9th – No episode
Reason: Traveling in Nigeria
Reason: Traveling in Nigeria
»» 2023 Archived Episodes ««
December
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Friday, December 29th – No episode today
Reason: In the air, returning from the holidays with family.
Reason: In the air, returning from the holidays with family.
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Tuesday, December 26th – No episode today
Reason: Spending Boxing Day with family.
Reason: Spending Boxing Day with family.
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Host Clay Gordon introduces Antonie Fountain, Executive Director of The VOICE network, to discuss the implications of the upcoming European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on the cocoa and chocolate industries. The EUDR aims to stop deforestation and requires imported commodities, including cocoa, to prove that they have not come from areas deforested after 2020. Fountain highlights the importance of traceability and responsible sourcing, and the need to establish structures to prove compliance. He explains that the responsibility for compliance lies with whoever places the product on the EU market, and stresses the need to support smallholder cocoa farmers who may not have reliable access to technology. Fountain acknowledges the challenges of implementing the EUDR, but is optimistic about its potential impact in the medium to long term.
The conversation also highlights the environmental damage caused by deforestation in the cocoa sector. The complexity of determining which commodities to include is mentioned, with industries like timber and sugar having significant influence. The discussion also compares chocolate production in the United States and the rest of the world, noting differences in ingredients and flavors. The importance of understanding the unintended consequences of regulations and promoting awareness in the chocolate industry is emphasized.
— Summary generated by summarize.tech
The conversation also highlights the environmental damage caused by deforestation in the cocoa sector. The complexity of determining which commodities to include is mentioned, with industries like timber and sugar having significant influence. The discussion also compares chocolate production in the United States and the rest of the world, noting differences in ingredients and flavors. The importance of understanding the unintended consequences of regulations and promoting awareness in the chocolate industry is emphasized.
— Summary generated by summarize.tech
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In the latest episode of #PodSaveChocolate, host Clay Gordon welcomes back Terry Collingsworth from International Rights Advocates to discuss recent developments in the chocolate industry, specifically a new lawsuit against Mars, Mondelēz, and Cargill for child labor abuses and fraudulent rehabilitation programs. Collingsworth explains that the CBS News investigation came about through a whistleblower in Ghana who revealed information about the child labor issue and the fraudulent programs. The hosts express their frustration as these corporations have not kept their promises made 22 years ago to stop using child labor. Collingsworth discusses ongoing lawsuits against major companies, including Nestle, Cargill, and Mars, for their involvement in forced child labor, and the lawsuit filed under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act with a strong expectation of winning. The podcast also explores a French statute that requires reporting on deforestation and child labor in chocolate production, as well as collaboration with viewers to hold companies accountable. Throughout the episode, the hosts remain committed to keeping audiences informed and advocating for the essential truths underlying the reporting of Big Chocolate.
— Summary generated by summarize.tech
— Summary generated by summarize.tech
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No episode on Tuesday, December 12th.
November
📓
In this episode, Birgitte Rasine is introduced as the guest and shares her story of growing up in the Czech Republic and discovering her love for chocolate in the United States. She talks about her book, The Jaguar and the Cacao Tree, and how it led to her becoming a chocolate critic and later, a mentor to many in the chocolate industry. Birgitte discusses her experience at an international conference for cocoa and chocolate, where she felt disconnected between the people in the industry and those in the field. She also mentions the connection between Mayan mythology and the reverence for the cacao tree, which was considered sacred by the native people of Mesoamerica. Birgitte then discusses her plans to write a book inspired by her experiences and observations, hoping to inspire others to take action and make positive change for the planet. She then discusses the Mesoamerican calendar and its three main systems: the Long Count, the Hub, and the Tzolk'in. They also discuss the concept of cultural appropriation and why they chose to write about chocolate in their next book. Host Clay Gordon talks about the idea that the stars in the sky were once predictors of natural events and over time, they gained agency and became responsible for the change. The Maya were a polytheistic culture and believed that the Divine was everywhere in all forms of nature, including the Tzolk'in Day signs.
TheChocolateLifeLIVE Archive
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