‘Let’s promote cocoa’

The General Manager of the Golden Tulip Hotel, Accra, Mr. Francis Deyegbe, has called on hospitality and tourism providers to make conscious efforts to promote Ghana’s cocoa by using its products for their services

According to him, the demand for Ghana’s cocoa will only go up and force a national renaissance of its increase in production when all hands come on deck to ensure its usage.

Mr. Deyegbe made the observation in an interview with the media when Golden Tulip Hotel, Accra, collaborated with Barry Callebaut, world leading manufacturer of quality cocoa and chocolate products, to train some chefs from some of the country’s major hotels on presenting chocolate on their menu for clients.

Messrs Philippe Marand, Executive Chef and Head of the Chocolate Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Hadrien Jauncy, the Export Sales Manager of Barry Callebaut, were on hand to take their local counterparts through the exercise.

They delivered presentations on new dishes, including how to adorn pastries with chocolates, emphasising the benefits that the use of cocoa products hold for clients.

The pastries and dishes included the Saffron and Blanc Satin Espuma, Cocoa Biscuit, Chocolate Cremeux, Light Sirop, Red Spaying Chocolate, Alunga Earl Grey Cream, Cocoa Light cream, Inaya Raspberry Mousse and Raspberry Mermelade, among others. 

Mr. Deyegbe disclosed that Golden Tulip Accra has always made sure Ghana’s cocoa is included in its menu, especially as beverages and desserts he said; describing the collaboration with Barry Callebaut as “another step to promote Ghanaian cocoa in the country to the hotel’s international travellers”.

“We recently visited their factory and can attest to the quality of their products from the use of Ghanaian cocoa beans,” he added.

The Managing Director of Barry Callebaut, John André, said his outfit has since 2001 used cocoa beans from Ghana, and on an annual basis they process 65,000 metric tonnes of the cocoa beans.

“We are therefore happy to be here, and commend the country for its keen interest in promoting the cocoa industry,” he said, indicating that the workshop was “to open the mindset of Ghanaian hotels to the benefit they can derive from using cocoa on their menus”. He commended Golden Tulip Accra for taking the lead in championing the promotion of cocoa and chocolate products.

Mr. Thierry Dieu, Executive Chef and Mrs. Bertha de Graft-Johnson, Sales & Marketing Manager of Golden Tulip Accra, were also on hand to facilitate the presentations by Barry Callebaut’s representatives.  

Golden Tulip Accra is owned by GLAHCO Hotels & Tourism Development Company Limited and is managed by the Golden Tulip Hospitality/Louvre Hotels Group, the 8^th largest hotel chain in the world.