Collaboration will Boost the Japanese Chocolate Industry – TCHO Head

Date: 28th November 2023

The head of Research and Development at TCHO, Mr. Brad Kintzer says the collaboration between Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and Ezaki Glico of Japan and TCHO of California, USA will significantly enhance the growth of the Japanese chocolate industry. 

According to him, his outfit has already commenced a project that, when completed, will require 25 metric tons of fine-flavour cocoa which has been cultivated, fermented, dried, processed and flavour analysed right from Tafo.

Mr. Kintzer said this when he led a high-profile delegation of Chocolate Researchers from Ezaki Glico of Japan and TCHO of California, USA to meet with the Management of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) at New Tafo-Akim. 

The visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration between Ghana and Japan in the area of cocoa bean quality and flavour qualities for chocolate production. 

Opening the meeting, the Executive Director of CRIG, Dr. Francis Padi welcomed the delegation and briefed them on the activities of his outfit and COCOBOD. He emphasized that cocoa farming and post-harvest quality management activities support sustainable cocoa production.

Dr Padi reiterated that CRIG has developed numerous varieties of desirable flavours through research, especially in areas of aromatic substances of cocoa and coffee as well as primary processing quality and development of by-products from cashew and shea. 

He was optimistic that the collaboration would be of their mutual benefits to ensure quality cocoa beans and desirable flavours for the chocolate industry. He also thanked GLICO/TCHO for funding the ongoing construction of the ultra-modern Fine Flavour Chocolate Laboratory at CRIG which has the capacity to train more farmers, staff of Quality Control Company Ltd (QCC) and Cocoa Health & Extension Division (CHED) on the effects of post-harvest practices on flavour development.

The delegation visited CRIG’s facilities, including the Fine Flavour Research laboratory fermentry under construction, CSSVD Museum, the Dam site and some experimental farms at Tafo and Bunso. 

Present at the meeting were, Dr. Richard Adu Acheampong, Deputy Executive Director at CRIG, Mr. Richard Danquah-Boateng, Director of General Services at COCOBOD, Shoji Yamasaki, Head of Research & Development of GLICO, Kentaro Obata, renowned Citrus Breeder at GLICO, Tokuro Shimizu, a Breeder of Kazusa, Dr. Daniel Boakye-Dankwa, Head of Accounts at CRIG and Dr. Abu Mustapha Dadzie, a Senior Breeder at CRIG. Other Research Scientists included Dr. Ebenezer Obeng-Bio and Mr. Stephen Yaw Opoku.