Cameroon to start producing premium chocolate bars for export market.

Chocolat Rouge, a chocolate manufacturing plant built by French entrepreneur Olivier Bordais in Nkol Melen, is expected to begin production early this year.

Data from the Competitiveness Committee of the Ministry of Economy show that Cameroon ranked seventh worldwide for cocoa paste exports, generating revenues of €275.6 million (US$299.5 million).

Cocoa butter exports generated €206.3 million (around US$224.4 million), placing Cameroon ninth globally.

This performance has been attributed to the entry of new processors, including Neo Industry, Atlantic Cocoa and Africa Processing, alongside expanded capacity at existing facilities, notably SIC Cacaos, a subsidiary of Switzerland’s Barry Callebaut group.

As a result of these developments, local cocoa processing exceeded the symbolic threshold of 100,000 tones for the first time. According to the National Cocoa and Coffee Board (ONCC), processing reached 109,431 tones during the 2024–2025 cocoa season.

To further support the sector, the Cameroon Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Forests (Capef) is developing logistics infrastructure near the port of Douala.

The project includes two warehouses with a combined area of 2,000 square meters, aimed at improving cocoa storage and export operations. The investment value has not been disclosed.

Construction began in 2025, with the first 1,000-square-metre warehouse completed at the end of 2025 and becoming operational in early 2026. The second warehouse, also covering 1,000 square meters, is expected to be completed in July 2026.

Once operational, the site will offer total storage capacity of about 11,000 tones, supported by a 4,500-square-metre outdoor logistics area.