{
  "id": 2690381,
  "title": "Ecuador Cocoa Brand Aims at the Premium Chocolate Shelf",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/ecuador-cocoa-brand-aims-at-the-premium-chocolate-shelf",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-23T01:18:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Rio Times",
    "slug": "the-rio-times",
    "url": "https://www.riotimesonline.com/ecuador-cocoa-brand-aims-at-the-premium-chocolate-shelf/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ecuador's cocoa exporters hope a new origin label will elevate the country's premium cocoa from a commodity to a sought-after brand on the global market, despite a decline in prices. The Ecuador cocoa brand, titled \"Cacao ecuatoriano, naturalmente, el mejor del mundo\" (Ecuadorian cocoa, naturally, the best in the world), aims to shift the nation from merely supplying raw ingredients to being recognized for quality. Anecacao, the National Association of Cocoa Exporters and Industrialists of Ecuador, launched the origin label on 19 August 2026 at the Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo (UEES) in Samborondón, an affluent region near Guayaquil. The launch event, held at UEES's convention centre, was covered by El Universo and Forbes Ecuador. The trade association's goal is to move Ecuador from supplying raw beans to being a known source of quality cocoa. However, the ambition faces a challenging market in 2026, as prices have fallen. The four-part campaign includes a country brand with an origin logo, a promotional film, a seal for national and international certification, and a comprehensive communications strategy. The film will tour the world to promote the brand, while the seal aims to certify origin both domestically and internationally. Anecacao, with over 35 years of experience representing the cocoa sector, provides credibility to the new brand. Ecuador produces approximately 60% to 63% of the world's fine flavour cocoa, a key selling point tied to the Nacional variety prized for its floral and fruity notes. Fine flavour cocoa exports have been boosted by demand from premium markets prioritising traceability, sustainability, and fair trade. In 2025, Ecuador was the world's third-largest cocoa exporter, behind Ivory Coast and Ghana, and is expected to overtake Ghana in 2026 with more than 623,000 tonnes of cocoa. Despite the challenging market, the Ecuador cocoa brand aims to position the country as a premium chocolate shelf destination.",
  "summary": "Anecacao launched the Ecuador cocoa brand on 19 August 2026 to boost the country's premium image. The campaign comes as export values fall sharply. The post Ecuador Cocoa Brand Aims at the Premium Chocolate Shelf appeared first on The Rio Times .",
  "key_points": [
    "Anecacao, a 35-year-old trade association, spearheads the origin label campaign.",
    "Ecuador aims to become a known source of quality cocoa despite falling prices in 2026."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Ecuador's new origin label for its cocoa aims to rebrand the country as a source of high-quality cocoa, shifting from a commodity supplier to a premium player in the global chocolate market.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}