Cordillera Chocolate and industry intelligence platform CocoaRadar will host a webinar on October 29 examining how traceability systems can transform cocoa supply chains beyond mere regulatory compliance. The 90-minute online session comes as chocolate companies worldwide scramble to meet European Union deforestation regulations that require plot-level transparency for all cocoa entering EU markets.
The webinar, titled “Traceability Beyond Compliance: The Future of Cocoa Sustainability,” brings together speakers from across the cocoa value chain, including procurement specialists, sustainability managers, technology providers, and policy experts. Registration is free and sessions will run at multiple time zones to accommodate global participants.
Anthony Myers, Editor of CocoaRadar and moderator for the event, framed traceability as a competitive advantage rather than just a regulatory burden. With compliance timelines tightening and consumer demand for ethical sourcing growing, companies that treat traceability strategically will lead the sector’s next chapter, he said in announcing the webinar.
The European Union’s Deforestation Regulation has created urgency around supply chain transparency. The law requires companies to prove that cocoa, coffee, soy, beef, palm oil, rubber, and wood products entering EU markets weren’t produced on land deforested after December 31, 2020. Large operators face a December 30, 2025 deadline, while small and medium enterprises have until June 30, 2026.
The regulation demands geolocation data showing exactly where commodities were produced, along with documentation proving legal compliance in origin countries. For cocoa, this means identifying specific farm plots through GPS coordinates, a massive undertaking for supply chains that have historically relied on aggregation through multiple intermediaries between farmers and chocolate manufacturers.
Cordillera Chocolate, part of Colombia’s Grupo Nutresa food conglomerate, will present a case study on building traceability systems at origin. The company operates in more than 20 countries and sources cocoa from Colombian farmers producing what the International Cocoa Organization classifies as 95 percent fine or flavor cocoa.
Alejandro Gil, Cordillera’s Procurement and Agricultural Development Director, will share insights from the company’s field operations. For Cordillera, traceability provides essential ground-level information that allows prioritizing development programs and maximizing efficiency, he said. It’s about effective action, not just checking compliance boxes.
Juan Lezaca, an EUDR expert and Team Leader for Traceability of export products and sustainability in Colombia for the EU, will explain what the regulation requires and what industry must deliver. His perspective bridges European regulatory expectations with Latin American operational realities, a critical connection as origin countries work to meet new standards.
Technology platforms enabling traceability will feature prominently. Rondey Muriuki, Global Sales Director at Farmforce, represents companies developing digital tools that help farmers and buyers collect, manage, and share supply chain data. These platforms aim to make compliance more manageable while generating insights that improve farm-level decision-making.
Cataliza Gonzalez, Sustainability Manager at German cocoa trader Albrecht & Dill, brings a buyer’s perspective. European chocolate manufacturers and traders face direct liability under EUDR, creating strong incentives to ensure their supply chains meet requirements. Her participation highlights how traceability demands are reshaping commercial relationships between buyers and origin suppliers.
Daniel Arancibia, LATAM Director at Proforest, will discuss broader sustainability frameworks. Proforest works on responsible sourcing across agricultural commodities, helping companies implement environmental and social standards. His involvement reflects how traceability connects to wider sustainability agendas beyond deforestation alone.
The webinar’s timing reflects growing recognition that EUDR’s original timeline was always ambitious. While the December 2025 deadline stands officially, industry observers widely expect another 12-month delay. However, the regulation’s fundamental requirements won’t change, and the cutoff date for acceptable deforestation remains December 31, 2020.
This means companies can’t simply wait out potential delays. Cocoa trees take several years to mature, so the plots that will be EUDR-compliant are essentially fixed now. Additional time might help companies improve their documentation systems, but it won’t fundamentally alter which cocoa sources meet legal requirements.
Market exclusion represents the most immediate risk of non-compliance. Companies unable to demonstrate EUDR conformity will lose access to European markets, which account for over 60 percent of global cocoa imports. For origin countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Colombia, this creates existential pressure to implement traceability systems quickly.
Beyond regulatory stick, traceability offers potential carrots. Transparent supply chains enable premium market access, build brand trust, and support farmer inclusion in formal value chains. Companies that invest in robust traceability may differentiate themselves commercially while meeting legal obligations.
CocoaRadar has established itself as an independent voice in cocoa industry discussions, with over 11,000 subscribers and 70,000 monthly views. The platform covers market dynamics, regulatory developments, sustainability initiatives, and supply chain evolution. Its involvement signals that traceability has moved from technical back-office function to strategic industry priority.
The webinar format allows global participation without travel costs or time zone constraints that limit physical conferences. Participants can submit questions during the 20-minute Q&A session following 70 minutes of presentations and panel discussion. This interactive element aims to address specific concerns from companies at different stages of EUDR preparation.
Colombia’s cocoa sector has grown significantly in recent years, with production increasing 36.5 percent between 2014 and 2021 through expanded planted area and improved productivity. The country’s focus on fine flavor cocoa positions it for premium markets where traceability and sustainability credentials command price advantages.
Grupo Nutresa has committed $1.5 billion over ten years to strengthen Colombia’s cocoa chain, including farmer support programs, processing infrastructure, and sustainability initiatives. Cordillera’s traceability investments fit within this broader strategic commitment to Colombian cocoa development.
The webinar’s emphasis on interoperable systems reflects practical challenges companies face. Different buyers often require different data formats and verification methods. Without industry standards enabling data sharing across platforms, farmers and cooperatives must navigate multiple reporting systems, creating inefficiencies that undermine traceability goals.
NGO perspectives will feature in panel discussions, bringing civil society voices into conversations often dominated by commercial interests. Environmental and development organizations have pushed for stronger deforestation regulations while also highlighting implementation challenges, particularly regarding smallholder farmer inclusion and equitable cost distribution across value chains.
Whether traceability becomes truly transformative or remains primarily a compliance exercise depends partly on how companies approach implementation. Systems designed solely to satisfy regulators may miss opportunities to generate insights improving farming practices, supply chain efficiency, and farmer livelihoods. The webinar’s framing around strategic opportunity rather than regulatory burden suggests its organizers believe traceability can deliver value beyond avoiding penalties.
