COOKO

𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐎 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 🌱 We’re excited to welcome Meline, a talented young woman from the local community whose journey with COOKO began through her family’s business as Cocoa Farmers. From the very beginning, her expertise and dedication stood out, and it quickly became clear that she had the potential to play a bigger role in our mission. Today, we’re proud to have her taking part in coordinating our operations in Ntui.   Meline has demonstrated a talent for monitoring the critical cocoa drying process—an essential step in crafting our Source Fermented Cacao®, which sets new standards for quality and sustainability. Her deep connection to the product and her attention to detail make her a perfect fit for this role, ensuring that every step of the process aligns with COOKO’s high standards.   We can’t wait to see Meline grow with us, both personally and professionally. Her journey reflects the heart of what COOKO stands for: empowering individuals within the cocoa value chain and building a future of innovation and excellence. 𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘔𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦! 🌟   #SourceFermentedCacao #TeamCOOKO #WomenInCocoa #SustainableInnovation

Even when Deep is on Vacation he still shows his passion for our mission. Thanks for these Insights, Deep! We can't wait to chat with you about your journey and the learnings when you are back 🌱

🌱 Celebrating the Buzz of Cocoa Season 🌱 There’s nothing quite like the energy of cocoa season in full swing! This week, our CEO, Ferdi Van Heerden, visited our site—not only to review the progress of operations but also to pay tribute to the incredible legacy of Pa Windzerem Shey Francis. Pa Windzerem believed in the COOKO method before COOKO was even a company. He saw the potential to transform farmers' lives by freeing up their time and significantly increasing their incomes. His vision and unwavering support played a key role in shaping what COOKO is today. The success we’re seeing now is a testament to his influence and a heartfelt homage to his legacy of advancing large-scale cocoa farming in Ntui. Let’s continue to honour pioneers like Pa Windzerem as we push forward, striving to create even greater impact for farmers and their communities. 🌍💡 #Legacy #CocoaSeason #SustainableFarming #COOKOImpact

During our workshop with WWF-Belgium this week, there was a lot of focus on data integrity and the role of accurate data in achieving sustainability goals. Our founder Ferdi Van Heerden pointed out: #EUDR massively incentivises compliance with a binary yes/no to market access. What it does not incentivise is data accuracy or honesty. Thanks Tony Myers for taking up this issue and starting to look at the potential black market for "deforestation free" polygons. #sustainability #cocoa

We often hear about the widespread disengagement in the modern workforce. Reports say that anywhere from 25-30% of employees are actively disengaging, reflected in movements like quiet quitting, downshifting, and Bare Minimum Mondays. Personally, I've always believed this is a symptom of how companies choose to engage with their people. Too often, employees feel they must leave their personalities at the door, treated as interchangeable "human resources" rather than individuals with unique talents and experiences. At COOKO, we’ve built something different. This past week, we had the privilege of seeing our Employee No. 1, Deep Parsana, truly shine. No one does weddings like Gujarat, and witnessing Deep celebrate in all his majesty was an experience beyond dreams. Thank you, Deep, for welcoming the team into your home and for showing the courage and vulnerability to share such a significant milestone with all of us. The memories and bonds we create together will last a lifetime—beyond any role, project, or company. This is the African spirit of Ubuntu: "A person becomes a person through other people." This is what makes a workplace thrive—when we connect, when we celebrate each other, and when we recognise that our value is not just in what we do but in who we are together. #newwork #culture #TEAM Chenette Swanepoel Michelle Töllner Bianca Röhrig Jorina Bruwer Shaun Nicholls

In terms of pricing what do you think will happen by the end of the year or next year? Insights from our conversations with our cocoa producers: 📊 For now, we expect cocoa prices to remain at their current levels. The stock market had detached from fundamentals due to speculation, pushing prices up to $12,000, which was unjustified. 🌧️ Recent developments in West Africa suggest the market will adjust, but prices likely won't return to pre-crisis levels. 🤲 Producers were undercompensated for a long time, contributing to the current situation. This can be seen as a bubble of accumulated issues that has finally burst! 🔄 We anticipate market stabilization, but this could take one to three years. Prices will likely remain higher than before the crisis, not returning to the previous levels of last year unless there's a significant increase in global production forcing prices down. 📈 Overall, this situation signals the industry's need to reassess value, especially regarding fair compensation for producers. #CocoaMarket #PriceFluctuations #CocoaMarket #SustainableBusiness

✨ A Celebration of Love, Friendship, and Family!✨ This week, a significant part of our COOKO family has touched down in vibrant India 🇮🇳 to celebrate a truly joyous occasion — the wedding of our beloved colleague, Deep. 💍🎉 Deep has been with COOKO from the very beginning, playing an instrumental role in our journey to transform the cocoa industry. His dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment have not only shaped our path but have also touched the hearts of everyone in the team. 🌱🍫 As Deep embarks on this new chapter of his life, we are thrilled to be here to celebrate this beautiful milestone together. It's moments like these that remind us that COOKO is more than just a workplace — it's a family. A family that stands by each other, celebrates each other’s successes, and cherishes each other's special moments. 🫶💚 Wishing Deep and his soon-to-be wife a lifetime filled with love, joy, and countless adventures. May your journey together be as rich and fulfilling as the cocoa beans we source! 🌍🌱✨ To everyone back home, we’ll be sharing glimpses of this beautiful celebration — stay tuned for more! 📸 Here’s to love, friendship, and the enduring bonds that make us stronger together. 🥂 #COOKOFamily #TeamSpirit #COOKOTraveling #NewBeginnings #Cocoa

Time for action. Today's vote should redouble our efforts to fight deforestation from the first mile of our value chains. Buy-in and commitment from origin countries is key but political will in Europe is essential. If you are operating in the Belgian chocolate value chain you can join us for a one day intensive session on 26 November with WWF-Belgium. Hear the latest news from Adeline Dontenville, grassroots insights from Dr. Silke Elwers and find practical support from Alexander Watson. More info on: https://lnkd.in/gsiDebhS #actionnow #actonclimate #EUDR

🌍 C𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐎'𝐬 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐧 🌱   We're thrilled to share that Pierre Alain Konan, who has successfully built up COOKO's presence in Côte d'Ivoire, is now stepping in as interim Country Manager for our team in Cameroon.   Pierre-Alain has been instrumental in driving impactful outcomes in Côte d'Ivoire, leveraging his deep expertise in global trade and supply chains from his time at SGS. Since joining COOKO, his dedication to supporting smallholder farmers is leading to higher incomes and improved yields. With Pierre-Alain taking on this expanded role, we expect even greater impact in Cameroon—helping us streamline processes, strengthen our team, and continue delivering high-quality results as we scale.   This leadership shift comes at a pivotal moment for COOKO as we expand direct exports to European customers, fully compliant with the new EUDR regulations. Pierre-Alain's guidance will be key in ensuring our continued success in meeting our partners' and customers' expectations.   Please join us in welcoming Pierre-Alain to this expanded role—we can't wait to see the positive changes he'll bring to our Cameroon operations! 🌱🤝 #COOKO #CocoaIndustry #SustainableCocoa #CommunitySupport

🚀  Navigate EUDR Compliance: Transform Your Supply Chain! 🚀 Alexander Watson, our CEO, will be one of the speakers at the impactful workshop organized by COOKO and WWF-Belgique about the European Union Deforestation Regulation. You’re a Belgian chocolate makers.? Join this 2-day training to 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 #𝗘𝗨𝗗𝗥 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 and boost 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆. Why Attend: ✅Lead in sustainable chocolate practices. ✅Understand EUDR responsibilities beyond supplier reliance. ✅Develop traceable, deforestation-free supply chains aligned with ESG strategies. Topics Covered: ✔️EUDR overview and implications. ✔️Due Diligence Statements (DDS). ✔️Technology and ground truthing balance. ✔️Deforestation mitigation strategies. Details:  👥 Who is it for: Belgian chocolate makers  📍 Where: 2 locations 📅 When: November 26, 2024 (Brussels) & February 4, 2025 (Amsterdam) 📝 Register: Email [email protected] Take this opportunity to drive change in sustainable practices! 🍫🌳 #ChocolateIndustry #Sustainability #CocoaProduction #EthicalSourcing #CocoaSupplyChain