ofi (olam food ingredients), a leading supplier of naturally good food and beverage ingredients, in collaboration with LOTTE, Fuji Oil, and MC Agri Alliance, is launching its first cocoa biochar pilot in Dankwa County in the Central Province of Ghana.
The circular biomass initiative will turn discarded cocoa pod husks into biochar through combustion in biochar cone machines. Biochar will lock in the carbon from the cocoa crop residues, which would otherwise be released back into the atmosphere by decomposition and should also benefit the soil where the cocoa is grown. Applying biochar on cocoa farms can help improve soil fertility and structure, to help stop erosion and the loss of soil nutrients into ground and surface waters.
Andrew Brooks, Global Head of Cocoa Sustainability, ofi, said “Together with LOTTE and partners, we plan to implement a biochar pilot that aims to reduce carbon footprint of the cocoa crop and waste on the farm by using the residual cocoa pods. This circular biomass initiative is one way we’re supporting our customers to take climate action as well as restoring natural capital, which is aligned with our own Cocoa Compass ambition and ofi’s 2050 Net Zero target.”
Cocoa Compass, ofi’s dedicated cocoa ambition, helps to address specific challenges in the cocoa supply chain and feeds into its company-wide sustainability strategy – Choices for Change. It builds on its years of expertise and experience in farming communities to collaborate with its customers and stakeholders to partner for positive change.
Keiji Miyano, Executive Officer, (Corporate Strategy / Sustainability), LOTTE CO., LTD said: “Sustainable procuring of cocoa is one of our material business strategies. Recent crop failures in West Africa have underscored its importance. We are convinced this initiative can create a significant environmental impact through collaboration by cocoa-related companies in non-competitive areas. We aim to continue leading the chocolate industry in Japan and Asia with our sustainability efforts.”
The partnership aims to start implementing the biochar project during the 2024/25 crop season and will monitor its impact on soil health and carbon reduction.
Hidehito Nibu, Division General Manager (Procurement & Logistics Division), Fuji Oil Co.,Ltd. said: “We, Fuji Oil, are building our sustainable value chain globally, and the cocoa sustainable activity is one of the key drivers to co-create a sustainable food future. We have a good opportunity to approach this new initiative with participating companies at this time. We will continue to take leadership to achieve a sustainable society in the world”.
This project complements ofi’s global cocoa biomass projects, consisting of a network of six circular biomass boilers in its cocoa factories in Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Germany , Indonesia, The Netherlands, and Singapore. The biomass boilers use cocoa shells, a by-product of the production process, as fuel to generate steam to power the crafting of its cocoa ingredients.
