Q4-2015 grind numbers reported by member companies showed a strong increase compared with the Q4-2014 numbers. The quarterly increase of almost 20,000mt versus prior year was the first quarterly increase we have seen after 5 consecutive quarters of decline.
The increase in Asia was driven in part by improved raw material costs as bean differentials in Indonesia showed steady declines during the second part of 2015. Despite declining economic indicators throughout the region, the demand for cocoa ingredients continues to grow in Asia.
The overall grind for 2015 still showed a decline relative to 2014, however the improvement in Q4 gives some hope that the industry is getting back on track.
