By Katherine Dunn
LONDON--European cocoa grindings rose 0.6% in the second quarter
from the same period a year earlier to 309,677 metric tons, the
European Cocoa Association said Friday.
However, grindings were still down 0.6% year-to-date, following
a 1.6% drop in grindings in the first quarter of the 2014/2015
season.
Grindings measure the amount of raw cocoa beans processed into
butters and powders, and are used as a way to measure demand.
Members of the Brussels-based organization produce 40% of the
world's cocoa butter, liquor and powder, and represent half of
Europe's industrial chocolate production.
ECA grinding members include some of the largest chocolate
producers in the world, including Barry Callebaut AG, ECOM/Dutch
Cocoa, Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate and Archer Daniels Midland Co.
(ADM).
Write to Katherine Dunn at katherine.dunn@wsj.com
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