LONDON CHOCOLATE FORUM 2026


NEW SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT: ANDY CLAYTON


Fermtech CEO Andy Clayton joins London Chocolate Forum 2026 to examine how


fermentation can help the chocolate industry improve sustainability, resilience and value creation without compromising the cocoa flavour consumers love.


W


e are delighted to announce that Andy Clayton, CEO of Fermtech, will present a keynote session titled


“Fermentation: Making Chocolate More Sustainable Without Changing What Consumers Love.” At a time when the cocoa industry


is facing some of the most significant challenges in its history, Andy’s keynote will explore how fermentation technologies can help the sector become more sustainable, efficient and resilient while maintaining the authentic cocoa characteristics that consumers expect from chocolate. Over the past two years, cocoa supply chains have come under intense pressure from climate-related impacts, crop disease, geopolitical uncertainty and rising production costs. The resulting supply shortages have driven cocoa prices to unprecedented levels and prompted urgent discussions across the industry about how to secure the future of cocoa production. According to the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO), the global cocoa market recorded one of its largest supply deficits in decades during the 2023/24 season, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to improve resource efficiency and strengthen supply resilience. While cocoa alternatives and


replacement ingredients have attracted considerable attention, consumer demand for genuine chocolate remains strong. Research consistently shows that flavour remains the primary purchasing driver for chocolate consumers, making it essential that sustainability solutions work alongside, rather than against, the sensory qualities that define chocolate. This is where fermentation is


increasingly attracting industry interest. Long recognised as a critical stage in cocoa processing, fermentation is now being applied in new ways across the food and beverage sector to enhance flavour, create novel ingredients and unlock value from underutilised raw materials.


ANDY’S WORK AT FERMTECH DEMONSTRATES HOW


FERMENTATION CAN UNLOCK NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR VALUE CREATION AND RESOURCE EFFICIENCY


ACROSS THE SUPPLY CHAIN


The session will also examine the broader


role fermentation can play in supporting circular economy principles, reducing waste and creating new opportunities for manufacturers seeking to balance sustainability objectives with commercial performance. “The cocoa industry is actively searching


In his keynote, Andy will explore how


these biological processes can help the chocolate industry extract greater value from every cocoa bean produced. Drawing on examples from across the sector, including Fermtech’s pioneering work fermenting cocoa shells into flavour-rich cocoa ingredients, he will demonstrate how side streams that were once considered waste can be transformed into commercially valuable products.


for innovative solutions that can improve sustainability and resilience without compromising the quality and flavour consumers expect from chocolate. Andy’s work at Fermtech demonstrates how fermentation can unlock new opportunities for value creation and resource efficiency across the supply chain. This is exactly the kind of forward-thinking discussion we aim to bring to the London Chocolate Forum, and I’m looking forward to hearing Andy’s insights on one of the most exciting areas of innovation in food and chocolate today,” said Kiran Grewal, Editor, Kennedy’s Confection and Organiser, London Chocolate Forum 2026.


Join us at London Chocolate Forum 2026 to discover how fermentation could help unlock a more sustainable future for the entire cocoa value chain.


JUNE 2026 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • 11


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