On World Chocolate Day, celebrated on July 7, Brazil has much to celebrate. One of the most consumed sweets in the world is made from cocoa almond, whose quality is determinant for a good chocolate, and the fine cocoa produced in the Amazon is considered one of the best in the world. In 2021, three Brazilian cocoa producers were awarded among the top 50 in the world at the Cocoa of Excellence Awards. This year, the Belgian chocolate Nicolas, produced with almonds from Pará, came in 2nd place in the awards of the Belgium Chocolate Awards 2022 competition.

Brazil is the 7th cocoa producer in the world and also ranks 7th among the largest exporters of the product and its derivatives. In 2021, the country exported 33,521,000 tons of chocolates and nearly 55,000 tons of cocoa derivatives, generating US$ 226 million, according to the National Association of Cocoa Processing Industries (AIPC). Argentina is the main destination, followed by the United States and Chile.  The export of cocoa almonds was 576 tons in 2021 and is expected to increase to 655 tons in 2022. 

Brazil was recognized by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) as a producer of fine aroma cocoa for export in 2019. "This recognition is important for the competitiveness of Brazilian cocoa in the international market, but since the title was sealed in the midst of the pandemic, we will only now work more robustly in its dissemination. This seal enables greater visibility, credibility and interest in the Brazilian product, generating more business opportunities for producers", says paula Soares, agribusiness manager at the Brazilian Agency for The Promotion of Exports and Investment (ApexBrasil).

The reasons for such success are the quality of the Brazilian raw material, innovative production technologies, differentiated terroir and the stimulus and training for internationalization carried out by ApexBrasil's actions. 

Brazil Sweets & Snacks

Since 1998, ApexBrasil has been working in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Chocolates, Cocoa, Peanuts, Candies and Derivatives (Abicab) in the BrasilSweets & Snacks sector project. The objective is to promote the image of Brazilian cocoa as a quality raw material for the production of fine chocolates and facilitate the access of companies and producers in the sector to the main international markets.  

Participation in fairs and events around the world is one of the main actions of the project. This year, Brasil Sweets & Snacks took six Brazilian companies in the sector to participate in the largest and most important candy and biscuit fair in the world that takes place annually in Germany, ISM Cologne. There were generated $1.3 million in immediate business. For the largest confectionery and snack exhibition in North America, Sweets & Snacks in Chicago, the project took five Brazilian companies that generated $580,000 in immediate business and $6 million in business expectations for the coming months. For Budapest, at the International Peanut Forum (IPF), there were four participating Brazilian companies and US$ 9.3 million in immediate business generated. Also in July, the project will take Brazilian companies to the Snackex fair in Hamburg, Germany, and also in 2022 to the Salon du Chocolat in Paris and to ISM Middle East in Dubai.

"We recently absorbed fine cocoa and the tree and bean to bar in our Brazil Sweets & Snacks Project. We are building a strategic planning for 2023/2024 and the idea is to insert a greater number of commercial promotion actions. We want to bring Brazilian companies to export and/or promote the image of Brazilian fine cocoa in the world", reinforces the executive president of ABICAB.  

Innovative technology

ApexBrasil also helps cocoa producers to stand out and reach new markets through the Export Qualification Program (PEIEX). An example of this is the Cocoa do Cerrado brand, from the Schmidt group, which in western Bahia has developed a new cocoa breeding technology in the BioBrasil nursery and, with the support of PEIEX, is about to export the product.

In general, the plants are grown in the shade, but the group developed seedlings that can grow in full sun and that produce fruits in up to two years, when the average for the beginning of harvest in this type of cultivation is 3 to 4 years. In 2021, the 65% chocolate bar produced by the brand was ranked as one of the best ever tested by the Cocoa Innovation Center (CIC).   

"PEIEX was a game changer, as it was one of the auxiliary arms in several aspects, even in the readjustment of the label and our logo," says The Director of Cocoa cerrado, Moisés Schmidt.  In February of this year, with the support of ApexBrasil, the company was the only Brazilian representative of cocoa and chocolates to participate in Gulfood, the largest food fair in the Middle East, and already has proposals to export to Dubai. International sales are expected to start in the second half of the year. 

PEIEX helps companies start the export process in a planned and secure way. It is implemented in all regions of the country through partnerships with educational institutions (Universities, Technological Parks or Research Support Foundations) or Industry Federations, which are responsible for applying peiex methodology in the qualification of companies. 

Differentiated terroir

Bahia and Pará are the largest cocoa producers in Brazil, being responsible for 90% of national production. Brazilian cocoa is produced with history, tradition, and agroforestry systems that preserve the Atlantic and Amazon ian forest where they are produced. "There are several varieties of cocoa and depending on the region where they are produced have a differentiated terroir, that is, a terroir that only exists in Brazil. All this quality of cocoa is reflected in the production of chocolates, whether industrially or artisanally, giving them flavor, quality, and recognition through international awards", explains the executive president of the Brazilian Association of the Chocolate, Cocoa, Peanut, Canisher and Derivatives Industry (ABICAB), Ubiracy Fonseca.

The French theme terroir is a set of information acquired by the product, from geographical location, quality of management, climate, culture, history and tradition, which influence sensory characteristics. Like wine, cocoa carries characteristics of the terroir that are evidenced in chocolate. 

Source: Agrolink