Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), the US-based agribusiness giant, has signed a deal to buy German chocolate and cocoa powder maker Schokinag-Schokolade-Industrie Herrmann.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


The purchase is subject to approval by relevant antitrust authorities and is being made, ADM said today (23 January), in a bid to expand its global cocoa and chocolate business.


“This acquisition will be an excellent fit for our business as we continue to enhance our global presence across the entire cocoa and chocolate value chain,” said Mark Bemis, vice president for ADM’s cocoa and milling division. “The expertise of the people, the tradition of quality represented in Schokinag and the scope of the physical assets make our acquisition an important step in positioning ADM to become the preferred supplier of cocoa and chocolate solutions for European customers.”


ADM Cocoa, known for its De Zaan, Ambrosia, Merckens and Unicao brands, acquired the assets of Classic Couverture in 2006, a UK-based chocolate manufacturer for the business-to-business market.


“ADM’s acquisition of Schokinag will strengthen our position in Europe, the world’s largest chocolate market,” said Scott Walker, managing director at ADM Cocoa International. “By integrating Schokinag into our cocoa business, we will better serve this steadily growing chocolate market and realise significant efficiencies in sourcing, operations and transportation.”

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Schokinag, headquartered in Mannheim, Germany, manufactures chocolate and other cocoa products in Mannheim and in Manage, Belgium.


The firm also has sales offices in the UK town of Ludlow and in California.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact