Chocolat Rouge begins production as Cameroon boosts local cocoa processing  

CAMEROON – Chocolat Rouge has commenced production at its cocoa processing facility in Cameroon, with the first chocolate bars expected to reach the market within the next three weeks, marking a significant step in the country’s efforts to increase local cocoa processing and expand value-added cocoa exports. 

The milestone was confirmed during a meeting between Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana and French investor Olivier Bordais, president of SAS MANTA and promoter of the FCFA 40 billion project.  

Bordais, accompanied by Aristide Tchemtchoua, president of the Cacao-Scoops.ca producers’ cooperative in Nkoaekogo, briefed the minister on the factory’s progress as it prepares for full commercial operations. 

Located in the Lékié Division of the Centre Region, the facility was launched in June 2024 to transform locally produced cocoa into premium chocolate for domestic and international markets.  

The project forms part of Cameroon’s strategy to reduce exports of raw cocoa beans and increase the share of processed products in its export basket. 

Discussions also focused on export opportunities following China’s decision to grant zero-tariff access to products originating from Cameroon from May 1, 2026. Bordais described the Chinese market as a major opportunity for premium chocolate products, noting that consumer demand trends align with the factory’s high-end positioning. 

The opening of the Chinese market comes as food exporters face increasingly stringent regulatory and certification requirements in Europe. For Chocolat Rouge, expansion into Asia offers an opportunity to diversify export destinations while tapping into growing demand for premium confectionery products. 

The factory is expected to source cocoa from producers in the Lékié area, strengthening links between local farmers and industrial processing activities. According to Bordais, the project has also benefited from the quality of the Cameroonian workforce recruited for the facility. 

He said employees demonstrated a high level of technical expertise during the installation and testing phases. However, Bordais identified recurrent electricity supply disruptions as a major challenge, noting that power outages complicate production planning, affect equipment performance and increase operating costs. 

Beyond international markets, the Obala-based factory is also expected to benefit from opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to facilitate trade in processed products across the continent. 

For Cameroonian authorities, the start of production at Chocolat Rouge represents progress toward expanding domestic manufacturing capacity, promoting import substitution and increasing exports of finished cocoa products.  

With commercial production underway, Cameroon is moving closer to its ambition of processing a larger share of its cocoa harvest locally. 

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