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Cocoa Sourcing & Supply Chain Hub

Cocoa Knowledge Center · 6 guides

How cacao gets from farm to maker

Cacao travels a long and complex path from tropical farms to chocolate makers around the world. Understanding commodity pricing and futures, direct trade relationships, packaging and storage is essential for importers, buyers and anyone committed to transparent, ethical sourcing.

These guides explain how the cocoa market works, and how CocoaSupply approaches sourcing differently through direct relationships with smallholder farmers.

Guides in this hub

Guide 01The Global Cocoa Supply Chain ExplainedWho handles cacao between the farm and the factory, and where the value goes.Read the guide → Guide 02The Commodity Cocoa Market Explained: Pricing, Futures, and How Contracts WorkHow futures prices are set and how they reach the farm gate.Read the guide → Guide 03Direct Trade in Cacao: Complete OverviewWhat direct trade means in practice, and how it differs from certifications.Read the guide → Guide 04Fine Flavor Cocoa: What It Is, Where It Comes From, and Why It MattersHow fine flavor status is defined, which origins hold it, and why it matters to makers.Read the guide → Guide 05Best Packaging Material for Cocoa and Cocoa ProductsJute, liners, bags and cartons, and how each protects quality and freshness.Read the guide → Guide 06How to Store Cacao Beans Properly: A Complete GuideMoisture, temperature and pests, and how to keep beans in good condition.Read the guide →

What this hub covers

  • Commodity pricing and futures
  • Direct trade relationships
  • Fine flavor cocoa
  • Packaging and storage

Written from origin

These Guides and articles are our own experiences and research. Leila Carvajal Erker, founder of CocoaSupply, a chemical engineer (WPI '96). We work directly with smallholder farmers, and our family has been working with Ecuadorian cacao for four generations, from farming, to processing and distribution.

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