Crisis as an opportunity Bohnkaf intensifies its strategy on certified organic cocoa
The cocoa industry looks back on a challenging year 2025. Climatically induced crop failures in nearly all origin countries have not only led to historic price surges but have also exacerbated a long-simmering problem: the increasing pesticide contamination of many batches. The result was a veritable shortage of raw cocoa, particularly of the kind that meets the strict requirements of the EU Organic Regulation or seals such as Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance.
Against this backdrop, Bohnkaf-Kolonial GmbH & Co. KG has made a strategic decision: The company will focus its sales activities this year specifically on certified raw materials, with an emphasis on EU-Organic, Bio Suisse, Fairtrade, and Rainforest Alliance.
Growing demand amidst challenging procurement
The motivation for this direction is clear: The demand for certified cocoa is increasing significantly. Processors and traders are placing greater value on transparency, traceability, and verifiable standards in the supply chain. At the same time, the procurement of such goods involves considerable effort. The requirements for documentation, controls, and the risks posed by short-term suspensions of certificates on the producer side present importers with major logistical challenges.
For Bohnkaf, however, this is not a reason to withdraw, but rather an incentive to further develop its own processes and ensure supply security for its customers. Especially in times when many market players are exiting the field due to the additional effort involved, we see an opportunity to position ourselves as a reliable partner for high-quality certified goods.
Four pillars for greater resilience in the supply chain
In order to maintain the integrity of organic certification while simultaneously ensuring delivery capability, Bohnkaf has fundamentally revised and intensified its internal processes in recent months.
- Proactive monitoring of the supplier base
The review intervals for the certification status of partner cooperatives and exporters have been tightened. The goal is to be able to intervene early in the event of impending suspensions by inspection bodies, ideally before the certificate expires. This requires close and trusting cooperation with partners at origin. - Strategic expansion of the supplier network
To remain capable of acting in the event of short-term failures of a producer, the network of organic-certified suppliers has been significantly expanded. This redundancy makes it possible to fall back on other, equally certified sources even in unforeseen events, without causing supply interruptions. - Development of new origin countries
Parallel to expanding existing partnerships, business relationships have been established in new, promising origin countries for organic cocoa. This not only diversifies risk but also broadens the aromatic spectrum that can be offered to customers. From Central America to Southeast Asia, we are opening up new origins with unique flavor profiles. - 4. Adaptation of Quality Assurance to EU Directives
Quality assurance has been raised to a new level. In addition to the established sampling procedure according to FCC specifications ("cut and count") for assessing fermentation levels and physical parameters, the sampling procedure has been expanded. Each batch is now subjected to a comprehensive pesticide analysis in accordance with current official specifications and EU directives. This ensures that the goods meet not only the physical but also the chemical requirements for impeccable organic quality.
Positioning as a reliable partner for certified goods
For Bohnkaf, the focus on certifications is not a short-term measure, but the strategic direction for the year 2026 and beyond. The company is investing specifically in controls, networks, and processes, with the clear goal of being able to reliably deliver certified goods to its customers even in tense market phases.
"The events of the past year have shown that reliability is not a given," explains Gonzalo Toro, Managing Director at Bohnkaf. "It is the result of consistent controls and a forward-looking procurement strategy. We have set up our internal structures accordingly and will maintain our course in the future."
