Deforestation Risk Assessment Consultancy at World Cocoa Foundation

The World Cocoa Foundation was incorporated in 2000 when the board of directors and president of the U.S. Chocolate Manufacturers Association (CMA) and its separate non-profit research arm known as the American Cocoa Research Institute (ACRI acknowledged that a new model of collaboration was needed to assure a sustainable future for cocoa and the farmers whose livelihoods depend on the crop.

The U.S. chocolate industry had worked together in an organized fashion since 1923 when CMA was founded. CMA was a traditional business association that had a primary purpose to serve manufacturers of cocoa and chocolate products by funding and administering research, promoting chocolate to media and consumers, and serving as an advocate before Congress and government agencies.

In 1947, the Board of CMA formed ACRI, the major goal of which was to ensure an adequate supply of low cost, high quality cocoa for the chocolate manufacturers, and for public consumption.