The discussion came at a critical time, with the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) still in flux after EU ambassadors urged the European Commission to “stop the clock” and delay enforcement of the new anti-deforestation laws—not just for small enterprises, but for all stakeholders. If this request succeeds, the regulation would no longer take effect on 30 December 2025, as initially planned.
As the title suggests, the webinar’s focus was on traceability that goes beyond compliance. While the EUDR remains a pivotal framework for ensuring transparent, deforestation-free supply chains, speakers agreed that—even if implementation is delayed—the cocoa sector is already demonstrating a strong capacity to “go it alone” toward sustainability and accountability.
“In the chocolate industry, supply chain management is based on three types of trust: local, institutional, and distributed,” said Tony Myers, CocoaRadar Editor and Founder. “They are also the fundamentals of good business practice, and in Colombia, we see a sophisticated, highly efficient, and functional cocoa sector.”
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If you missed the live broadcast, you can watch the HERE replay on CocoaRadar’s YouTube channel.
Guest speakers
- Alejandro Gil – Procurement & Agricultural Development Director, Cordillera Chocolate
- Juan Lezaca – EUDR Expert, Team Leader for Traceability of Export Products & Sustainability in Colombia (EU)
- Catalina Gonzalez – Sustainability Manager, Albrecht & Dill
- Rodney Muriuki – Global Sales Director, Farmforce
- Daniel Arancibia – LATAM Director, Proforest
Key Decisions
- Treat traceability as a value driver, not a checkbox.Consensus among panelists: leverage EUDR pressure to stand out on origin transparency, product quality, and farmer outcomes—not merely to avoid penalties.
- Run an interoperability pilot.Stakeholders agreed to a near-term proof-of-concept linking origin systems (e.g., Colombia case) with buyer compliance systems, testing data handoffs from farm polygons → lots → shipments.
- Publish a shared “minimum data set.”Participants will circulate a lean, common schema—including farm geolocation and legal status, supplier IDs, lot/trace chain data, risk flags, and remediation notes—that multiple platforms can read and write.
- Align plans to the updated EUDR rollout.Participants will prepare for large-operator compliance by 30 December 2025, while staging SME support through 2026 in line with emerging EU guidance.
- Make “farmer benefit” a gating metric.Traceability workstreams will include KPIs on farmer onboarding, data ownership, and income-linked incentives—not only audit outcomes
Next Steps and Task Owners
- Cordillera Chocolate (Origin Case Owner):Document and share the Colombia end-to-end traceability blueprint—from farm mapping to buyer delivery—as a reference model for the pilot. Draft pack due for pilot partners.
- Farmforce / Tech Partners (Interoperability Lead):Establish sandbox connections (API/CSV bridges) for data exchange based on the shared minimum data set. Deliver pilot environment and quick-start guide.
- Buyer Panel Representatives (Requirements Owner):Develop and publish a buyer-side checklist mapping EUDR duties to supporting data evidence (e.g., farm geo proof, legality documents, segregation controls, Chain of Custody). Deliver version 1 for suppliers.
- Policy & Regulatory Experts (Compliance Owner):Track EU’s targeted updates and translate them into a living operational FAQ covering scope, evidence requirements, and timeline adjustments.
- Moderator / CocoaRadar (Communications Owner):Host a follow-up clinic to review pilot outcomes, gather feedback, and publish templates for risk screening, supplier attestation, and incident logging.
Open Questions
- How minimal can the shared “data set” be while still satisfying EUDR audits across different markets (EU vs. non-EU)?
- What constitutes acceptable proof of “legal production” when documentation varies by jurisdiction—and who validates it?
- Can SMEs afford the physical or digital segregation required to separate compliant and non-compliant lots at scale?
- How can premiums, services, or credit be linked to clean data submissions—and how are consent and data reuse governed?
- What contingency plans are in place if EU guidance shifts again mid-implementation?
- If you or your organisation would like to partner with CocoaRadar to host a high-impact webinar reaching a broad, engaged global audience, please contact events@cocoaradar.com for more information.