Ghana is the world’s second-largest cocoa producer, yet for decades most Ghanaians rarely ate chocolate made at home. Beans left the country raw, and chocolate came back as an expensive import. In recent years, small brands and government campaigns have tried to change that, encouraging Ghanaians to make and eat their own chocolate.
The cocoa paradox and '57 Chocolate
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire produce most of the world’s cocoa, but the biggest profits go to chocolate companies in Europe and America that process the beans. Golden Tree, produced by the state-linked Cocoa Processing Company in Tema, has long been Ghana’s best-known chocolate brand. ’57 Chocolate was founded by sisters Priscilla and Kimberly Addison, who had studied abroad and returned to Ghana. The name refers to 1957, the year of independence. The brand makes handcrafted chocolates using Ghanaian cocoa.
Other brands and the challenges
Other small chocolate makers have also emerged, producing bars, truffles and drinking chocolate for local and export markets. Ghana celebrates National Chocolate Day on 14 February, promoting chocolate consumption and encouraging Ghanaians to eat locally made chocolate. Making chocolate in a hot climate is difficult. Producers need cooling, packaging and reliable power. Locally made premium chocolate can be expensive for ordinary consumers.
Governments have called for more cocoa processing in Ghana to create jobs and keep more value in the country.
Tourism, exports and farmers
Some chocolate makers offer tours and tastings, linking chocolate to cocoa farms and tourism. Ghanaian chocolate brands have begun exporting, telling the story of chocolate made where cocoa grows. Many cocoa farmers have never tasted chocolate. Some initiatives aim to change that. The Addison sisters’ story inspired other young Ghanaian entrepreneurs, especially women, to start businesses that add value to local crops rather than exporting raw materials.
Gifts and ingredients
Locally made chocolates are increasingly popular as gifts at weddings, corporate events and holidays, giving producers new markets at home. Small makers often experiment with local flavours such as ginger, hibiscus, coconut and tiger nut, giving their chocolate a distinctly Ghanaian taste that sets it apart from imported brands on supermarket shelves. Ghana has grown cocoa for more than a century. The idea that it should also make the chocolate is newer, and brands like ’57 Chocolate are testing how far it can go.
