Asia Cocoa Grindings Jump 29% in Q3 as Europe Recovers and North America Slips

Three regional cocoa associations published third-quarter grindings data on 15 and 16 October 2026, and the numbers point in different directions. The Cocoa Association of Asia reported Asian bean usage of 233,767 metric tonnes in Q3, up 29% year on year and the highest single quarter since at least 2012. The European Cocoa Association put European grindings at 348,215 tonnes, up 3.2%, the region's first year-on-year increase since the second quarter of 2024. North America's National Confectioners Association reported 109,978 tonnes, down 2.5%. Together the three regions ground 691,960 tonnes in the quarter, 9.7% more than a year earlier, yet their combined January-to-September total of 1.900 million tonnes remains the lowest for the period since 2017. For food manufacturers, the split matters more than the headline: processing demand is recovering unevenly, not across the board.

Asian Grindings Reach 233,767 MT, Highest Quarter Since at Least 2012

The CAA released Q3 Asian bean usage figures on 15 October. The 233,767-tonne total was up 29% from a year earlier, with ADM Investor Services putting the increase at a precise 29.2%, and marked the strongest quarter in a series going back to at least 2012. January-to-September grindings reached 681,900 tonnes, up from 573,000 tonnes in the same period of 2025 and above the previous year-to-date high of 673,000 tonnes set in 2022.

Europe Posts First Gain Since Q2 2024 While North America Slips 2.5%

The ECA also published on 15 October: European grindings of 348,215 tonnes were up 3.2% year on year, the first increase since the second quarter of 2024. Even so, the year-to-date total of 990,000 tonnes, down from 1.023 million tonnes a year earlier, is the lowest January-to-September reading since 2015. The NCA figures, reported late on 15 October and into 16 October, showed North American grindings of 109,978 tonnes, down 2.5% against market expectations of a roughly flat quarter; the report covers 14 plants, two fewer than a year earlier.

Nine-Month Total Still Lowest Since 2017 as Cocoa Futures Whipsaw

Combined Q3 grindings of 691,960 tonnes were up 9.7% year on year, but the nine-month total of 1.900 million tonnes compares with 2.024 million tonnes a year earlier and a five-year average of 2.072 million tonnes, the lowest first-three-quarters figure since 2017. Futures reacted in both directions: on 15 October, December cocoa rose 1.67% in New York and 1.04% in London on the stronger Asian and European numbers; on 16 October, New York fell 3.19% and London fell 3.23%. Supply-side pressure is building at the same time: heavy rains in Côte d'Ivoire have cut roads and damaged bridges, slowing harvesting and deliveries to ports, while ICE warehouse stocks sit near a roughly two-and-a-quarter-year high.

Demand Split Calls for Delivery-Window Buying, Not a Recovery Play

For procurement and R&D teams at food manufacturers, the regional divergence carries four practical implications:

• Asian processing demand is firmly back. A record quarterly grind supports Asian supply chains and capacity utilization; manufacturers sourcing or producing in the region can expect busier processing and shipment schedules.

• Europe's rebound is not a full-year recovery. Behind the 3.2% quarterly gain sits a year-to-date total that is still the lowest since 2015, so volume and price assumptions for European supply should not be set on a V-shaped recovery.

• North America's slip shows high costs still ration demand. A 2.5% decline against flat market expectations indicates that some formulations and buying programs are still shrinking at elevated price levels.

• Buy by delivery window, not by the headline. Regional divergence, exchange stocks near a two-and-a-quarter-year high, and Ivorian logistics disruptions together argue for managing procurement around shipment windows rather than reading Q3 as a one-way global demand recovery.

Huanda Cocoa processes West African cocoa beans at three FSSC 22000 certified facilities in Cambodia, China, and Indonesia, with COA documentation on every batch and exports to more than 70 countries. Our Asian capacity sits inside the region where processing demand is growing fastest, and a multi-plant footprint helps us manage the delivery risks now visible in West Africa. Buyers planning Q4 and 2026/27 coverage can review current grades and specifications on our cocoa powder and cocoa liquor pages and request offers through the contact page.

Sources

Cocoa Association of Asia — Grind Statistics — October 15, 2026
ECA European Cocoa Association — Grind Stats — Q3 2026 statistics — October 15, 2026
Barchart via Yahoo Finance — Cocoa Prices Rise as Chocolate Demand Improves — October 15, 2026
ADM Investor Services — Europe & Asia Post Strong Cocoa Grind — October 15, 2026
ADM Investor Services — Coffee Hits Six-Week High — October 16, 2026