ACFIF New York 2026: Cocoa Finance Comes to Wall Street

The Africa Cocoa Finance & Investment Forum (ACFIF) came to New York on Monday, October 26, 2026. More than 100 industry professionals gathered at 48 Wall Street Events, in Manhattan's Financial District, for a program of presentations and panels. The forum convened at noon and wrapped up around 7 PM, after extended discussions and panel conversation. The event was organized by Fuad A. Mohammed, lead convenor of ACFIF and a director of Cocoa Trade & Invest Africa. It focused on investment opportunities and financing approaches that could improve cocoa's current economic situation. Mohammed told Graphic Online that the New York edition was convened "to connect capital with opportunity." His Excellency Aly Touré, Permanent Representative of Côte d'Ivoire to International Commodity Organisations, gave the keynote address. He stressed the need for cocoa farmers to earn a living wage. He also argued for more processing in producing countries, so that more of cocoa's value and jobs stay at origin, according to Connection Ivoirienne. Dr. Ransford Abbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), spoke and then took part in a panel discussion on financing in cocoa. He pointed investors to opportunities in cocoa financing, processing, farm rehabilitation and climate-smart agriculture, Graphic Online reported. Veriground, under its parent company Commodities Risk Analysis (CRA), was one of the event's sponsors. Veriground builds weather stations in cocoa-growing regions, and the forum's subject sits close to that work: every decision to finance or buy cocoa depends on what happens on the farm. Steven Haws of CRA, Managing Member of Veriground, presented in the session on bankable opportunities across Africa's cocoa value chain and joined the panel that followed. His message was that industry and origin marketing boards need to work together on improving farmer yields. One of his slides, titled "Better Timing," made the practical case. On-the-ground weather information helps farmers time fertilizer and spray applications. Correct fertilizer application increases yields, and forecasts support better cocoa husbandry. Its last line was not technical at all: "Communication that someone cares." The panel was moderated by Antonis Antoniadis-Gavriil of Three Mountains Cocoa. Haws was joined by Dr. Wisdom Dogbey of Cocoa Marketing Company, Nate Saal of CocoTerra and Shannen-Kaylia Henry of CocoaFiber. The rest of the program followed cocoa from capital to consumer. Four panels took up mobilizing capital for the sector, enhancing cocoa revenues, bankable opportunities across the value chain, and U.S.–Africa trade and market access. Between the panels, presentations covered price risk management and the U.S. specialty cocoa market, and a fireside chat featured the Nigerian cocoa exporter Sunbeth. Speakers came from StoneX, Macquarie, JSG Commodities, Guittard, Uncommon Cacao and the Institute for Cacao & Chocolate Research. The following day, 16 participants traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to visit Pier 84 at the Port of Philadelphia. The pier is an ICE exchange bonded warehouse where cocoa is stored. After a day spent on finance and policy, the visit showed the physical side of the trade: the beans themselves, in storage. New York was the second ACFIF. The first took place at the London Stock Exchange on May 6, 2026, according to the Ghana News Agency. The next meeting is set for Amsterdam in February 2027. The full New York program is available at ACFIF.org. Photo: Jacob Haws, jacobhaws.com