Showcasing cacao diversity and producers of excellence to global markets during Amsterdam Cocoa Week 2025
[Rome, 17 December] – Cacao of Excellence is proud to announce its participation in Chocoa 2025, held from February 4th to 9th in Amsterdam, Netherlands. This year’s event will feature a packed agenda highlighting exceptional cacao producers, fostering market connections, and showcasing cacao’s flavour diversity through immersive activities and a highly anticipated announcement.
Strengthening Connections Between Producers and Buyers
On Friday February 7th, Cacao of Excellence together with its partners will make a special announcement designed to bring cacao producers closer to buyers. This milestone initiative will bridge the gap between origin and market, empowering producers, enhancing transparency, and supporting access to higher-value opportunities. Stay tuned for this big announcement.
Spotlight on Cacao Flavour Diversity
During the Chocolate Festival on February 8th and 9th, attendees can experience the exceptional quality and diversity of cacao through two Cacao Diversity Tasting Sessions. These sessions will feature Cacao of Excellence award-winning cacao processed into chocolate, offering participants a sensory journey through unique flavour profiles that reveal the richness of cacao from around the world.
Cacao of Excellence at the Amsterdam Sustainable Cocoa Conference and Chocolate Makers’ Forum.
As part of its mission to champion cacao as a high-value crop, Cacao of Excellence will participate in the Amsterdam Sustainable Cocoa Conference and the Chocolate Makers’ Forum. Discussions will focus on the decommodification of cacao—an essential step to recognising and rewarding its unique quality and diversity—as well as the incentives for prioritising quality, amidst price fluctuations. Cacao of Excellence will participate in sessions on Thursday 6 February at 9:30 am during the Amsterdam Sustainable Cocoa Conference and at 4:00 pm, during the Chocolate Makers’ Forum.
Exclusive Cacao Sensory Training Session
Cacao of Excellence will host a dedicated session showcasing the new Cacao Sensory Training developed by the Programme. Through its innovative products and data management methods, Cacao of Excellence aims to provide industry professionals and enthusiasts with accurate tools to evaluate cacao’s flavour potential and gain unique exposure to cacao diversity representing a broad selection of cacao producing origins.
Visit the Cacao of Excellence Booth: Discover, Taste, and Shop
Throughout the Chocoa Trade Fair and Chocolate Festival, visitors are invited to explore the Cacao of Excellence booth, where they can:
- Taste the Best 50 cacaos transformed into exquisite chocolates, highlighting the winning producers from the 2023 Cacao of Excellence Awards.
- Discover the profiles of exceptional cacao producers from four global regions and learn about their unique stories and contributions to cacao excellence.
- Purchase exclusive products, including the Cacao Mass Diversity Kits and the Limited Edition Cacao of Excellence Chocolate Treasure Boxes. These sought-after collections allow cacao and chocolate professionals and those interested in cacao flavour diversity to experience a unique flavour journey with award-winning cacao processed into chocolate.
Join Us at the Chocoa Trade Fair and Chocolate Festival 2025
Cacao of Excellence invites all attendees to visit its stand from February 4th to 9th during Chocoa 2025. Discover the talent and dedication behind the world’s exceptional cacao and chocolate, experience its sensory diversity, and engage with tools and initiatives that are shaping the future of cacao.
Check out all the details on how attend the Chocoa Trade Fair and Chocolate Festival!
About Chocoa
Organised by The Company Behind Chocoa in cooperation with the Chocolate Festival Foundation, CHOCOA is dedicated to creating a world with more sustainable cocoa—the foundation for better chocolate. We envision a world where cocoa production benefits farmers, their communities and the environment. A world where high-quality chocolate is accessible to environmentally conscious consumers everywhere.
About Cacao of Excellence
Cacao of Excellence, led by the CGIAR’s Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), is a uniquely neutral global platform that brings together the public and private sector to discover, promote, and reward cacao producers of excellence from all origins, focusing on superior cacao quality and flavour diversity. Since 2009, the platform has held the prestigious global Cacao of Excellence Awards, celebrating and rewarding the work of cacao producers and showcasing the diversity of exceptional flavours worldwide. Cacao of Excellence’s vision is to drive the expansion of superior quality cacao, ensuring more producers thrive as empowered entrepreneurs.
