Tradin celebrates start of operations at Crown of Holland

Tradin Organic, headquartered in Amsterdam and part of the SunOpta International Foods Group, celebrated the official start of operations at Crown of Holland, its new cocoa processing facility, on 14 November 2013.

Guests from the international confectionery industry and cocoa sourcing countries were invited to Middenmeer, Noord - Holland, to take a closer look at the brand-new production line in the boutique factory. The facility applies the method of ‘whole-bean roasting’, designed to keep the finest flavours in the premium organic and single origin cocoa beans during processing. Ate Oostra, chairman of the Metropolitan Food Security was the guest of honour to cut the ribbon complimenting the international atmosphere through his worldwide collaborations amongst others with the Netherlands Agro, Food & Technology Centre. Representatives of the embassies of the Philippines, Ecuador and Dominican Republic were present exemplifying the importance of sourcing partnerships in cocoa. (Picture: A part of the complex plant at Crown of Holland)
 
Gerard Versteegh, president of SunOpta, initiated the event with a short retrospect on Tradin Organic’s experience in sourcing organic raw ingredients and the background of their sustainable cocoa processing operation; "While we had been considering several origin countries as locations for a cocoa processing plant, the final decision for Agriport A7 in Middenmeer was based on the flexibility of importing beans of various origins into the Netherlands and the abundance of know-how and experience in cocoa processing existing in the region."  Crown of Holland is located 40km north of Amsterdam's port, known to be the world’s no. 1 cocoa port, in the sustainable business park, Agriport A7 (we reported earlier).