Ghana cocoa company opening Franklin manufacturing facility

FRANKLIN, Wis. - Ghana-based Niche Cocoa is coming to Franklin, Wisconsin. 

U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Marisa Lago joined Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Secretary Missy Hughes and local officials on Tuesday, Oct. 4 to welcome the business to southeast Wisconsin.

The facility does not look like much right now. But once the machines get running, officials say the smell will hit you.

"We are going to bring in semi-finished product, refine it into cocoa chocolate, and as pulverizing cocoa cake into cocoa powder," said Edmond Poku, Niche Cocoa founder. 

The manufacturing facility will pulverize imported cocoa cake into powder. The company will also manufacture finished chocolates. 

"So refining cocoa liqueur, cocoa butter and cocoa cake to industrial chocolates," Poku said.

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A news release says the project will be the largest food and beverage investment by an Africa-based company in US history and the largest Ghana foreign direct investment ever in Wisconsin.

"Foreign investment supports enough jobs in Wisconsin to fill Lambeau Field one-and-a-half times over," Lago said.

Niche Cocoa Industry, Ltd. is a privately held company that is headquartered in Tema, Ghana. The release says Niche Cocoa is the largest cocoa processor in Ghana – and the world’s second-largest cocoa producer after the Ivory Coast.

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At the Franklin Business Park location, the company will lease over 44,000 square feet. Niche Cocoa will initially employ more than two dozen workers at the new facility.

Niche Cocoa is partnering with The Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company, a Milwaukee-based company.