By Ese Erheriene
Europe's third-quarter cocoa grindings fell 1.1% on the year to
327,866 metric tons, figures from the Brussels-based European Cocoa
Association showed Tuesday.
The continent's grindings data, which measure the number of
cocoa beans processed, are regarded as a proxy for chocolate
demand.
ECA members account for two-thirds of European cocoa bean
grindings and half of Europe's industrial chocolate production, as
well as 40% of the global production of cocoa liquor, butter and
powder.
ECA grinding members include ADM Cocoa, a unit of Archer Daniels
Midland Co. (ADM); Barry Callebaut AG (BARN.EB); Delfi Cocoa
Europe, a division of Petra Foods Ltd. (P34.SG); ECOM/Dutch Cocoa;
Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate; and Nederland SA.
Bean processors include Cioccolato Peyrano, Euromar, Ferrero,
Nestle SA (NESN.VX), Mondelez International Inc. (MDLZ) and
Toms.
Write to Ese Erheriene at ese.erheriene@wsj.com
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