It follows what could be described as the increased preference for locally manufactured chocolates by some Ghanaians on the occasion of National Chocolate Day.

Checks by Citi Business News indicate that Ghanaians are gradually showing much interest in consuming locally produced chocolates than foreign ones.

Today, February 14, 2018, marks eleven years since the introduction of the National Chocolate Day.

An initiative of former Tourism Minister, the Late Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey, the day is largely to create awareness and increase consumption of locally made chocolate products.

Some consumers spoke to Citi Business News on their preferences.

“I prefer the locally made chocolates for Valentine’s Day because it is rich in cocoa but the foreign ones are a bit creamier you do not really get the richness of the cocoa,” one stated.

Another remarked, “I prefer the local ones to the foreign ones because they are nicer, richer and I also appreciate our own things.”

“The feeling of the local chocolate is so amazing and I am just going in for the locally manufactured ones,” a third consumer stressed.

Indeed the Minister of Tourism Arts and Culture, Catherine Afeku at a recent media briefing outlined plans to repeat the distribution of locally produced chocolates at the airport to mark the day.

“As an entity, we decided to give each and every person boarding, entering, embarking or arriving in Ghana for the first time, the world acclaimed brown chocolate of Ghana. The initiative was massively received and we intend to repeat it on the 14^th of February under the theme, “Eat Ghana, Eat Chocolate,”

The Cocoa Processing Company is one of the major producers of chocolates in Ghana.

Its Managing Director, Nana Agyenim Boateng tells Citi Business News his outfit has been able to produce at least ten thousand cartons of the various sizes of chocolates for today’s occasion.

This he says excludes production recorded for Tuesday and Wednesday (February 13^th and 14^th respectively).

“Another 1200 cartons that we have released for the gift boxes to be distributed; we have also released 2,200 cartons of the 50 grams aside that we have also done customised chocolates for corporate institutions, airlines, hotels and other institutions and that also we have done over 500 cartons of that of the 50 grams,” he explained.

Not all, the CPC is also advancing plans to reduce the price of chocolate substantially in the short to medium term.

This Nana Agyenim Boateng explains will largely depend on the creation of a separate entity for the manufacturing of confectionaries.

This year’s National Chocolate Day is on the theme, “Eat Ghana, Eat Chocolate”.

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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

The post Demand for locally made chocolates rise appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The day, which is marked yearly, was instituted to coincide with and reshape the celebration of Valentine’s Day to promote the consumption of chocolate and other cocoa products since cocoa is the mainstay of Ghana’s economy.

This year’s celebration was on the theme: “Love Chocolate, Love Adventure”.

Nana Oduro Kwarteng, the Chief Director of the Ministry, said the day was to increase the consumption of chocolate because it is not just for the taste of it but has a lot of compounds in terms of medicinal purposes”.

He said cocoa was an important product and the ministry wanted to ensure that it was used to promote domestic tourism.

“In order to reap the necessary benefit of cocoa, it is advisable for all to add the consumption of the cocoa products to our daily meal,” he said.

Dr Frank Asante, the Managing Director of CPC, said the National Chocolate Day was instituted to promote Ghanaian chocolate as the preferred choice of gift for loved ones.

He said the company chose to spend the day with the school in order for the students to know the essence of the day as well as know the importance of the consumption of chocolate on regular basis.

He said the black chocolate was always better and chocolate eaten before meal was better, adding; “it should not be chewed but licked”.

The CPC later donated cocoa products including bags of chocolate drinks, buckets of tiger-nut, chocolate spread and chocolate worth GHȼ2,000.00.

It also presented a vending machine to the school.

Madam Ellen Ohene-Bekoe, the Director of the Home, expressed appreciation to the Ministry as well as CPC for the kind gesture and the love shown to the children on the special day.

She called on other corporate organisations to support the school and spend time with the children.

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Source: GNA

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