30/10/2025
Guess what's news in the chocolate world!
Exciting developments are underway in the quest to use okra pectin as a natural alternative to lecithin in chocolate production!
Prof. Jacob K. Agbenorhevi, leader of the academic team from the Department of Food Science and Technology, KNUST, says the project has recorded significant progress in developing both milk and dark chocolate samples. Consumer feedback on the milk chocolate has been described as “fantastic!”
The Okra Pectin Exploratory Project is a joint initiative between the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Huddersfield (UK), and CPC, under the Africa Agrifood Knowledge Transfer Partnership (AAKTP), with funding support from Innovate UK.
The Company Supervisor on the AAKTP project and Head of Research & Development, Madam Genevieve Pawar, highlighted the company’s over-a-decade-long collaboration with the AAKTP, recalling a major success story — the Aspire chocolate brand, a sugar-free innovation loved by health-conscious consumers.
Prof. Agbenorhevi noted that Ghana’s own okra variety is proving ideal for pectin extraction, ensuring sustainable access to quality raw materials.
CPC’s Managing Director, Prof. William Coffie, lauded the project’s progress, adding that it holds huge potential for job creation in the agrarian sector and positions CPC to lead new market and technology opportunities.
Together, we’re turning Ghana’s agricultural potential into world-class innovation — one chocolate bar at a time.
