Programme | CAAConference

CAA International Cocoa Conference Exhibition & Gala Dinner

1 - 4 September 2026

Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre

GOOD TOGETHER: BUILDING AN AGILE COCOA FUTURE

Our 2026 theme invites the entire cocoa and chocolate supply chain to unite in shaping a future that is flexible, forward-looking, and fair. Real progress happens when we share ideas, support one another, and adapt to change together.

At the heart of it all is our ongoing mission to Keep Farmers Growing & Chocolates Flowing. Expect inspiring plenaries, hands-on masterclasses, a lively Cocoa Village exhibition, and the International Farmers’ Forum — each designed to spark innovation and strengthen partnerships across the value chain.

Pre-Conference

1 September

International Farmers Network Forum

(Invite Only)

Day 01

2 September

Conference

*ALL DAY (0900 - 1800) Exhibition @ Cocoa Village and Photo Exhibition

Time	Agenda
0830 - 0900	Opening Ceremony of the Cocoa Village
0900 - 0930	Opening Speech
	Plenary Sessions
0945 - 1005	In conversation with some of cocoa's most prominent leaders
1005 - 1030	Morning Break & Networking
1030 - 1200	"Invisible No More" IFNF Takeaways
1200 - 1330	Lunch & Networking
1330 - 1400	What in the cocoa world is going on?!
1400 - 1500	Will cocoa grind to a halt?
1500 - 1545	Cocoa Break

Agenda subject to changes

Day 02

3 September

Conference

*ALL DAY (0900 - 1800) Exhibition @ Cocoa Village and Photo Exhibition

Time	Agenda
0800 - 1000	Masterclasses
	Plenary Sessions
1030 - 1200	Reimagining Chocolate
1200 - 1330	Lunch and Networking
1330 - 1500	Can Cocoa Truly Go Green?
1500 - 1545	Cocoa Break
1545 - 1715	The Bittersweet Byte Balancing AI's promise with the realities of the cocoa value chain
1800	Registration for Gala Dinner
1845 - 1930	Pre-Gala Dinner Cocktail Ticket Holders Only
1930 - 2100	Gala Dinner Ticket Holders Only

Agenda subject to changes

Day 03

4 September

Social Day

Tours available for purchase (Check back for details)

2026 Plenary Sessions

In Conversation With some of Cocoa's Most Prominent Leaders

Moderator:

Dr. Annie Koh

Prof Emeritus of Finance (Practice) Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore Management University

Panellist:

Brandon Tay

CEO, Guan Chong Berhad / Chairman, Cocoa Association of Asia

Tey How Keong

Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, JB Cocoa

Tejinder Singh Saraon

CEO, Cocoa Platform, ofi

Alain Freymond

President Global Cocoa, Barry Callebaut

This opening conversation brings senior leaders from different parts of the cocoa chain onto one stage. They’ll share how they see the current situation, what is worrying them, and where they still see opportunity. Expect a candid, big‑picture discussion that sets the scene for the rest of the conference.

Invisible No More
"Takeaways from IFNF"

Opening Remarks

Gricha Safarian

Former GM and Current Shareholder of Puratos Grand Place Indochina, Founder and GM of The Cocoa Project

Speaker / Moderator

Selene Scotton

Group Cocoa Sustainability Manager, Purtaos Grand-Place Indochina

Panellist

Louise De Guzman Mabuluo

Founder, The Cacao Project, Philippines

Fay Fay Choo

Asia Director Cocoa Sustainable Sourcing, Mars / Director of Sustainability, Cocoa Association of Asia

Cheok Mei-Ing

Director, Partnerships Development, Supply Chains, Save the Children Federation, Inc,

Built around the International Farmers Network Forum (IFNF), this session puts young farmers and women leaders in the spotlight. They will share their experiences of growing cocoa today – from income and climate to market access – as well as business ideas they have developed with industry mentors. The discussion will focus on what companies can do differently on the ground: how to support these ideas, adjust sourcing models and make sure farmer voices shape real decisions, not just side events.

Will Cocoa grind to a Halt?

Moderator

Tony Myers

Chief Editor, From the Desk of Cocoa Radar

Panellists

Eric Bergman

Global Head of Cocoa & Coffee Trading, JSG Commodities

Representatives from:

Ecom, ofi, Barry Callebaut, GCB Cocoa

With record prices, cost‑of‑living pressures and more regulation, many are asking what this means for grind and demand. This session explores whether we could see a real slowdown – through reformulation, substitution or shifts between regions – and what companies can do to keep cocoa relevant and affordable. Panellists will talk about the trade‑offs they are facing and the strategies they are using to keep factories running and consumers interested, without walking away from farmers

EU Crash Test

Panellists

Sarah Dekkiche

Director of Policy and Partnerships, International Cocoa Initiative

Matthijs de Meer

Director EU Affairs & Sustainability, European Cocoa Association

Fuzz Kitto

Co-Director, Be Slavery Free, Chocolate Scorecard

The EU’s shifting regulatory landscape has sent shockwaves across the cocoa world. With delays, reconsiderations, and rising compliance expectations under the spotlight, the “crash test” is well underway—testing companies’ resilience, traceability systems, and commitment to sustainability. Yet behind the uncertainty lies opportunity: for forward-looking origin countries, grinders, and chocolate makers to align, innovate, and lead.

Reimagining Chocolate

Chocolate itself is changing – and so are chocolate experiences. In this session, brands and manufacturers will talk about how they are reworking recipes and formats – from sugar levels and cocoa content to new ingredients, origins and flavour stories – while juggling high input costs and tighter rules.

Moderator Racheal Toh of Barry Callebaut will use consumer insights and sensory science to unpack how people perceive chocolate experiences today, asking which of the latest “better for you”, “plant‑based” or “ethical” claims reflect real shifts and which look more like hype or short‑lived fads. Drawing on the perspectives of an artisanal chocolatier, a chef and a disruptor, the panel will explore how and why chocolate formulations have evolved, what consumers are actually responding to, and what it really takes to design the next generation of chocolate experiences that are both on‑trend now and resilient over time.

Moderator

Racheal Toh

Regional Marketing Director (EMEA), Barry Callebaut Group

Panellists

Tobias Garritt

Founder & Ceo, Junglegold Bali

Jake Berber

Co-Founder & CEO, Prefer

Manfred Ku

PhD Candidate Dept. of Food Science & Technology, National University of Singapore

Can Cocoa truly go Green?

Moderator

Megan Willis

Founder and Director, Willis Lee Advisory

Panellists

Leah Wieczorek

Vice-President of Carbon Markets EMEA & APAC, Dubai, StoneX

Representative from Koltiva

Making cocoa “green” is not just about launching a new project or report. This session looks at what it would really take to move towards a low‑carbon, nature‑positive cocoa sector. Speakers will discuss climate‑smart and agroforestry practices, deforestation‑free supply chains, traceability, carbon markets and who actually pays for all of this. The conversation will focus on what is already working, where the bottlenecks are, and how to make sure farmers benefit from the transition

The Bittersweet Byte:
Balancing AI's promise with the realities of the cocoa value chain

This plenary looks at how far AI is genuinely helping the cocoa sector today – and where expectations are running ahead of reality. Rather than asking whether cocoa should adopt more AI, the session starts from what is already happening in cocoa and in other crops such as rice, coffee and palm oil, where tools like machine learning and computer vision have delivered both useful breakthroughs and clear disappointments.

Moderator William Gaultier will steer the discussion away from buzzwords and feature lists toward business viability, data readiness and farmer impact, highlighting a handful of AI‑enabled solutions that work under real‑world conditions, as well as practical red flags to help leaders tell the difference between solid investments and fast‑moving hype.

Moderator

William Gaultier

Partner, Enfactum

With attack experts and representative from Farmforce

Masterclasses

Make sure to join the Masterclass sessions on Day 2!

Power-packed sessions led by experts across various fields covering insights, trends and tools to help you stay ahead in the cocoa and chocolate game.

Keep a lookout for more information on the masterclasses.

CAA International Cocoa Conference Exhibition & Gala Dinner

1 - 4 September 2026

Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre

GOOD TOGETHER: BUILDING AN AGILE COCOA FUTURE

Pre-Conference

1 September

International Farmers Network Forum

(Invite Only)

Day 01

2 September

Conference

Day 02

3 September

Conference

Day 03

4 September

Social Day

2026 Plenary Sessions

In Conversation With some of Cocoa's Most Prominent Leaders

What in the Cocoa world is going on?!

Invisible No More
"Takeaways from IFNF"

Will Cocoa grind to a Halt?

EU Crash Test

Reimagining Chocolate

Can Cocoa truly go Green?

The Bittersweet Byte:
Balancing AI's promise with the realities of the cocoa value chain

Masterclasses

CAA International Cocoa Conference Exhibition and Gala Dinner