In a Global Chocolate War, It’s Hershey Against West Africa
- Ivory Coast and Ghana halted Hershey’s sustainability programs
- Nations accused Mars of changing purchases to avoid premium
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Some in the world’s chocolate markets see a hefty premium charged by the largest cocoa producers as a blunt instrument wielded by the OPEC of confections -- a tool of a faraway cartel that artificially inflates the price of a precious ingredient.
To the leaders of Ivory Coast and Ghana, where most of the world’s cocoa is actually produced, the argument is something else entirely: a lifeline for farmers and entire economies that would otherwise be held hostage to the vagaries of global commodities markets.