Discover CHOCOA, One of The Biggest & The Best Chocolate Events in The World

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

CHOCOA is a yearly marketplace for cocoa and chocolate that focuses on quality and sustainability: A location where cocoa and chocolate are exchanged, and where new and existing business relationships are formed and strengthened. Sharing of research outcomes, new breakthroughs, ideas, and concepts.

Organized by Equipoise in collaboration with the Chocolate Festival Foundation, CHOCOA contributes to a world with more high-quality, sustainably sourced cocoa: the foundation of superior chocolate.

A future where cocoa production is beneficial to farmers, their communities, and the environment. One where ecologically concerned chocolate lovers have access to high-quality chocolate everywhere. Keeping these key objectives in mind, CHOCOA was founded in 2012.

Since then, the event has expanded from a tiny chocolate festival with less than 20 booths at the Maritime Museum to an internationally renowned business conference.

In 2020, CHOCOA hosted more than 150 exhibitors and more than 1,500 professionals. 

When Chocoa became virtual in 2021 owing to the Covid-19 epidemic, we brought the quality and sustainability conversation online with more than 600 participants, establishing a new norm for virtual events.

The objective remains the same: to advance sustainability and raise consumer awareness in order to expand the market for sustainable cocoa and chocolate. Multiple days of conferences, forums, and partner events are now available in the centre of Amsterdam, promoting information sharing, networking, and many business prospects.

Jack Steijn and Caroline Lubbers launched Equipoise to contribute to a market result that is fair for all cocoa value chain stakeholders. Focusing on market-driven initiatives, Equipoise excels at ensuring the continuation of cocoa supply chains via sustainable practises.

Equipoise created the European Markets Academy in 2016 and the Cocoa Export Training in 2018 in addition to hosting CHOCOA, the Amsterdam Sustainable Cocoa Conference, and the Chocolate Makers' Forum.&

Both programmes provide market access assistance and educate participants for the challenges of exporting cocoa to the European market.

As advisors, Equipoise is collaborating with IDH on the Cocoa Origins Program. The development of sustainability initiatives at the origin of small cocoa consumers' supply chains, connected to the Dutch market, is encouraged.

In addition, Equipoise collaborated on projects with INSEAD of Fontainebleau, Port of Amsterdam International, the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI), the International Trade Center (ITC), Solidaridad, GROW Liberia, a division of Adam Smith International, and Color Cacao.

Equipoise has worked on sustainability initiatives in Cameroon, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador, Ghana, Liberia, Madagascar, Mexico, Peru, and Sierra Leone, among other countries.

Also read: A delightful list of the most chocolaty events in the world