Kuapa Kokoo is a cocoa farmers' cooperative organisation, established in Ghana in 1993. It was formed following the Ghanaian government's liberalisation of internal cocoa marketing in 1992, which, farmers feared, would lead to the entry of private companies into the market with whom they would be unable to compete. The organisation is often cited as a success story in the field of fair trade, its products being used in many Fairtrade-labelled products. It is the largest cooperative in Ghana, and counts 45,000 cocoa growers as members. [1]
The Day Chocolate Company (a UK company, now Divine Chocolate) was set up by Kuapa Kokoo in 1997. The company uses primarily Kuapa cocoa, and the cooperative also holds 45% of Divine Chocolate's stock.[1][2] Today Kuapa has 45000 farmer members in 1100 villages, and provides 10% of Ghana's cocoa supply. Day Chocolate Company sales rose to over £5m in 2004. Between 1993 and 2004 Kuapa received just over $2m in extra Fairtrade premiums. Some was paid to the farmers, some went on projects such as the construction of four new schools.[3]
Year -- Fairtrade sales (tonnes) -- Total sales (tonnes) -- Fairtrade sales as % of total[4]
2008 6,130 35,500 12.9%