Ghana chocolate: What for?

- A realistic conversation
“Mr. President, nice to meet you. On behalf of our 413.000 staff members in our 11.000 branches I greet you. You have decided to add value to your cocoa and by 2030 all cocoa from Ghana should only be exported as finished products. As EDEKA Germany’s largest provision chain let me ask you as neither us as a company nor our customers know about your products of CPC Ltd Company in Tema and the portfolio you have laid out before us are absolutely unacceptable what should motivate us and our company to buy from you?” asked the CEO of Edeka.

“We have the best cocoa beans in the world,” answered the President.

“So what?” asked the CEO.
"So what?” repeated the President. “But the consumers will love our products.”

The CEO smiled after having whispered to the CFO he should look out for any sign of being cheated by a black man and lectured:”Now, please Mr. President. You do not seem to know what our customers want. Even if we step by step lecture you what our customers right now want, for which we have no time, and even if you satisfy them as you are not part of our society what could in future make our customers want more of your products you will not know. You will be a one time hit…and that’s it. When we want to contact you as you only sit in Tema…oh, that is not creating an Avenue of trust and good business relations. We prefer easy ways of communication.”

“I assure you of the best practices and very engaging customer service,” reassured the President.

“Look Mr. President. We stock chocolate products from international companies like Cadbury, Lindt, Mondelez, Ferrero, Mars, Ritter Sport, Nestlé and so on, even from less known companies. And these companies produce chocolate products under our own brand names.”

“Yes…with all due respect Sir…our cocoa…”

“I know, I know…is used by our partners for their chocolate products produced somewhere in Europe or so. We know these companies very well and our customers are happy with them. But products from CPC Ltd Company Tema…who knows them? As a country unlike a small enterprise you must sell volumes not small doses as that does not help you at all. Your ambitions are on a much different level.”

“When we by 2030 do no longer export raw cocoa beans your suppliers like Lindt that source 80% of its cocoa from Ghana will no longer get what they need, forced to produce chocolate products in Ghana otherwise….”

“Mr President, do you know the market or the people you have to face?”

“I have to admit…I am not an expert in this market…but we definitely can sell our chocolate products much, much cheaper to you.”

The CEO turned to his CFO and whispered into his ears:”Now we got him. He is cornered. When he at this stage talks about low prices…we make him stand naked. He opens a door for us so we can bring him down further. We suck the blood out of him. He thinks he is smart…as he does not know the rules of our game…we will teach him a lesson. But first…let's have a break.”

“Let’s have a KitKat,” laughed the CFO.