Ghana/Ivory Coast: your days are numbered

Two years ago in Munich/Germany siblings Brother and Sister (Planet a Foods) started to produce cocoa from roasted cereals/oats to sell in German Supermarkets. Now in California/USA (California Cultured), scientists have taken a step forward. They grow cocoa cells in the lab and make chocolate out of it.

Both pioneering projects try to reduce the carbon footprint of this business. While in Ghana cocoa farmers complain about poisoned farms due to Galamsey the white man engages in finding alternatives to naturally grown cocoa. As the door has been pushed open more projects will emerge and common customers might feel the taste of the new chocolates is possibly the same as the original version. Experts will still insist on the "real" deal but experts are small in numbers.

African leaders are not alarmed to change their perceptions, strategy, and marketing approach. Cocoa is a long-time business. When the trend of alternatives is real and present the mindset of Africans must change today and not tomorrow. Otherwise, the whites take these countries again by storm as the Portuguese did in 1492...this time the blame will rest on Africa.