From l. to r.: PNC Bank Regional President Chris Hermann (representing M7), Franklin Mayor Steve Olson, Niche Founder Edmund Poku, U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce Marisa Lago, WEDC CEO Missy Hughes, Omanhene Cocoa Founder Steve Wallace

On Tuesday, Oct. 4, company officials and federal, state and local leaders celebrated the grand opening of Ghana-based Niche Cocoa's first North American manufacturing facility, located in the City of Franklin.

Niche Cocoa Industry, Ltd., a privately held, global cocoa processing company headquartered in Tema, Ghana, is establishing its first North American manufacturing facility in the Franklin Business Park. The project is the largest food and beverage investment by an Africa-based company in U.S. history and the largest Ghana foreign direct investment ever in Wisconsin.

“Niche Cocoa’s historic investment in Wisconsin is an unmistakable signal to other companies across Africa and around the world — the United States is open for business,” said U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, Marisa Lago, who attended the event. "I applaud Edmund Poku and our Department of Commerce team — including SelectUSA — that helped to facilitate this investment. Niche Cocoa joins a broad and growing array of forward-looking businesses in expanding in the United States’ diverse, dynamic, and open economy — underscoring why we have remained the top destination for foreign direct investment for a decade running.”

Niche Cocoa is the largest cocoa processor in Ghana, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer after the Ivory Coast. The company’s North American expansion pioneers a change in the direction of African investment and showcases the rapid growth in African businesses, specifically in Ghana.

“Taking into account proximity to customers, logistics, high-quality human capital, and a business-friendly environment, Wisconsin was a great choice," said Niche founder Edmund Poku. "The partnership between what we know how to do and what Wisconsin can offer Niche to succeed in our next chapter is what has brought us to the state.”

At its Franklin Business Park facility, Niche will import cocoa cake that will be pulverized to create cocoa powder for nationwide distribution. The company will also manufacture finished chocolate made with cocoa butter and cocoa liquor produced in Ghana. Niche will initially employ over two dozen workers at the new facility.

M7 partnered in the recruitment of Niche with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., Omanhene Cocoa and the City of Franklin. 

“The food and beverage sector is one of our state’s economic drivers,” said WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes. “Niche Cocoa’s decision to locate here complements our existing businesses and opens new possibilities for collaboration in the supply chain.”

“Niche is precisely the type of company we want and can uniquely support in our region," said Rebecca Gries, Vice President of Corporate Attraction & Expansion at M7. "The company adds to a strong cluster of global food and beverage manufacturers that call our region home, a reflection of our favorable business environment, strong manufacturing infrastructure and one of the nation’s highest concentrations of talented workers.”

“We’re happy to welcome Niche Cocoa to the Franklin Business Park, joining several other well-known food processors/manufacturers and equipment manufacturers,” said City of Franklin Mayor Steve Olson. “Niche Cocoa continues Franklin’s long history of welcoming international corporations to our fast-growing community. Niche recognizes our great location, highly skilled workforce and our great business climate and quality of life for their employees.”

Niche Cocoa is partnering with The Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company, a Milwaukee-based firm that pioneered production of world-class, single-origin, bean-to-bar chocolate manufactured in Ghana. “Together, we’re creating cocoa products and compelling employment in both the U.S. and Ghana,” said Omanhene’s founder, Steve Wallace. “We’re proving that a country’s competitive advantages, paired with strategic global partnerships, lead to winning outcomes in unexpected places. Together, Omanhene and Niche demonstrate the promise of a new globalism where international trade creates jobs and value instead of exploiting vulnerabilities.”

Media Coverage:

Milwaukee Business Journal - How America's Dairyland attracted a Ghana company's $30 million investment

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - A cocoa processing company from the west African nation of Ghana is opening a local plant. Why did the company choose Franklin?

BizTimes - Ghana-based Niche Cocoa to open first North American location in Franklin

WUWM - Niche Cocoa becomes largest African food and beverage investment in U.S. with Franklin expansion

TMJ4 - African cocoa maker Niche Cocoa opening plant in Franklin, Wisconsin

FOX6 - Ghana cocoa company opening Franklin manufacturing facility

Omanhene Cocoa Founder Steve Wallace provides an overview of the equipment and production process at the new Niche Cocoa facility in Franklin.