Overview
The 2025 ECA Forum - hosted by the European Cocoa Association (ECA) in Malta - surpassed expectations, drawing a record 480+ participants from across the cocoa value chain. Marking the ECA’s 25th anniversary, the event emphasised unity, respect, and practical collaboration.
From the outset, the agenda called for direct, solution-oriented dialogue on persistent challenges in the cocoa sector. As one facilitator put it, the focus should be on finding solutions rather than merely identifying problems. A note of optimism set the tone, referencing the ozone layer’s recovery as a “change within a lifetime.”
Founded by nine members, the ECA now counts 59, with ongoing priorities including food safety, trade negotiations, and sustainability. To thrive amid mounting pressures - tariffs, plant disease, child labour participants stressed the need for trust, transparency, and consistent action, calling for a “high-trust” industry to sustain long-term motivation and progress.