The Minister of Business Development, Hon. Mohammed Ibrahim Awal has indicated that government will help indigenous cocoa processor Niche Cocoa to become a competitive giant in Africa.
Hon. Awal who was on whistle-stop visitation to Niche Cocoa praised the company for keeping up its high standards and stimulating growth in the cocoa value chain.
“The President has given us a mandate at the Ministry of Business Development to handhold twenty indigenous companies and turn them into competitive giants in Africa and the world. I believe Niche Cocoa has qualified to be part of this elite group of local companies.” Hon. Ibrahim Awal said.
Niche Cocoa founded by businessman Edmund Poku has been in existence since 2011 but their rise to the top of the cocoa processing chain has been nothing short of phenomenal.
“We process 60,000 thousand tonnes of cocoa every year, making us the biggest cocoa processing company in Ghana. We have the highest grade cocoa cake, cocoa butter and cocoa liqueur anywhere in West Africa. In 2017, we started producing chocolate and I am happy to announce that we have orders from all over the world including Germany, Trinidad and Tobago as well as Japan. There is already unfulfilled demand so we are moving full steam ahead to increase our processing capacity” said Edmund Poku, the CEO of Niche Cocoa.
Even more impressive in the in the Niche Cocoa upturn is the adherence to standards that makes them one of a few chocolate companies from Africa selling to the European market.
“We have attained the highest International Standards Organization certification for quality management systems also known as ISO 9001. This speaks to our ability to adhere to quality management systems consistently in accordance with the highest standards globally. We have also attained ISO 14001 which deals with environmental management and the proper way to dispose of waste and ISO 22000, the mother certification that deals with food management systems from farm to fork. These are highly necessary certifications for our consumers to continue to repose trust in us.” Said Edmund Poku.
At present Niche Cocoa is seeking a 100 million dollar investment to expand its processing and chocolate making capacity. The company which has 350 direct employees hopes to employ 150 more and help further the job creation agenda of President Nana Addo Dankwa- Akufo Addo.