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Analysis and Studies - Products analysis

Cocoa butter: import and export

By SkyMinder Sales Enablement Team November 21st 2024

Cocoa butter is a plant-based fat extracted from cocoa beans, which gained popularity for its skin-nourishing properties, since it hydrates and locks in moisture, benefiting dry skin and chapped lips due to its rich fatty acids. It also contains antioxidants like vitamin E, which may help delay signs of aging and protect skin from environmental damage: however, it isn't a proven remedy for scars or stretch marks.

Beyond the cosmetics world, it is also used in cooking for its smooth, creamy texture: commonly found in chocolates and desserts, it can serve as a substitute for traditional butter in baking, adding a light chocolate essence. ​

In 2022, cocoa butter was the world's 538th most traded product, with a total trade of $5.38B, and between 2021 and 2022 the exports decreased by -6.13%, from $5.73B to $5.38B.

In 2022 the most significant exporter was the Netherlands, with a trade of $1.37B, followed by Indonesia ($669M), Malaysia ($617M), Côte d'Ivoire ($505M), and Germany ($459M). Whereas the country which imported the product the most was Germany, with a trade of $710M, followed by the United States ($598M), Belgium ($513M), Netherlands ($469M), and France ($362M).

The graphic shows a deeply interconnected global trade system, characterized by both regional alliances and extensive cross-continental ties. European nations such as the Netherlands and Germany focus heavily on regional trade within the EU, while Indonesia and Malaysia adopt a broader, globally spread approach.

Côte d'Ivoire’s exports are notably concentrated toward Europe, reflecting its reliance on established European markets. Meanwhile, Southeast Asian nations emphasize the strategic importance of maintaining diverse trade connections across continents.

  1. Netherlands (25.4%): 28.6% Germany, 18.9% Belgium, 9.61% United Kingdom, 7.54% Switzerland,15% France, 4.48% Poland, 4.14% Italy, 1.75% Turkey, 1.55% United States
  2. Indonesia (12.4%): 25.4% United States, 13.3% India, 9.44% Netherlands, 8.65% Estonia, 7.05% Australia, 6.63% Germany, 5.46% China,62% Canada, 2.79% Japan, 2.53% Singapore, 2.1% Russia
  3. Malaysia (11.5%): 24.7% United States, 11.1% Japan, 7.91% Canada, 5.74% Estonia, 5.67% Singapore, 4.86% Russia, 4.85% Mexico, 4.6% France, 4.15% China, 3.65% Australia, 2.18% Netherlands, 2.02% Germany, 1.59% Switzerland, 1.09% Egypt
  4. Côte d’Ivoire (9.39%): 30% Netherlands, 20.5% Germany, 13.8% France, 13.6% United Kingdom, 4.04% United States, 3.93% Italy, 3.85% Belgium, 1.24% Estonia
  5. Germany (8.54%):28.3% Poland, 17.3% Belgium, 16% Italy, 6.28% France, 6.1% Netherlands, 5.47% Switzerland, 2.7% Austria, 2.51% United Kingdom, 2.33% Slovakia

The graphic illustrates a globally interconnected trade system influenced by geography and established economic ties. Germany is heavy reliant on the Netherlands, highlighting strong regional trade within Europe, while the United States shows a diverse import profile, emphasizing connections with Southeast Asia and the Americas.

Belgium’s trade is tightly linked with neighboring European nations, whereas the Netherlands and France have significant ties to West Africa. These dynamics underscore the balance between regional dependencies and global trade networks across continents.

  1. Germany (13.2%): 55.1% Netherlands, 14.6% Côte d’Ivoire, 6.36% France, 6.24% Indonesia, 5.51% Nigeria, 3.42% Ghana, 1.75% Malaysia
  2. United States (11.1%): 28.4% Indonesia, 25.5% Malaysia, 6.61% Canada, 6.34% Ghana, 6.09% Peru,96% Brazil, 4.87% India, 3.95% Mexico, 3.54% Netherlands, 3.41% Côte d’Ivoire, 1.94% Ecuador
  3. Belgium (9.55%): 50.2% Netherlands, 28% France, 15.5% Germany, 3.78% Côte d’Ivoire, 1.04% Ghana, 0.72% Malaysia
  4. Netherlands (8.73%: 32.3% Côte d’Ivoire, 26.1% Ghana, 13.4% Indonesia, 5.97% Germany, 5.43% France, 3.42% Cameroon, 3.36% Singapore, 2.87% Malaysia, 1.36% India, 1.08% Nigeria, 0.89% Peru
  5. France (6.74%): 23.5% Cameroon, 19.4% Netherlands, 19.2% Côte d’Ivoire, 16.5% Ghana, 7.95% Germany, 7.83% Malaysia, 1.37% Belgium, 1.23% Indonesia

Between 2021 and 2022, the country with the fastest growth in exports was Côte d'Ivoire, with an increase of $46.2M, ahead of Cameroon ($29.5M), Bulgaria ($15.1M), Switzerland ($9.31M), and Nigeria ($8.34M).

 

 

  1. Côte d’Ivoire: from $458M to $505M
  2. Cameroon: from $90.5M to $120M
  3. Bulgaria: from $156k to $15.3M
  4. Switzerland: from $13.6M to $22.9M
  5. Nigeria: from $39.5M to $47.9M

Whereas the imports grew the fastest in the United States, with an increase of $60.1M, followed by the Netherlands ($35.2M), Singapore ($20.3M), Argentina ($11.8M), and Indonesia ($11.2M).

 

 

  1. United States: from $438M to $598M
  2. Netherlands: from $434M to $469M
  3. Singapore: from $33.3M to $53.5M
  4. Argentina: from $51.4M to $63.2M
  5. Indonesia: from $6.77M to $18M

Sources:

https://oec.world/en