L'usine de chocolat des planteurs de cacao de Cote D'ivoire qui n'a jamais existe.

Visitez ce qui etait cense etre l'usine de chocolat des planteurs de cacao de Cote D'Ivoire.


14 milliards de francs CFA depenses et ce sont les herbes, les ecureils, et les araignees qui se disputent ce qui reste de la vieille usine de Nestle de Fulton, aux Etats Unis d'Amerique. Qui a donc vole l'argent des planteurs de cacao de Cote D'Ivoire?

Lire ici la decision de la justice suite a la plainte de FRC contre Ousmane Gbane.
Court Proceeding 1.

SCHUMER MEETS WITH PRESIDENT OF IVORY COAST TO DISCUSS MAKING THE FULTON
CHOCOLATE PLANT FLOURISH

Pictured standing, from left, are K.C. Comas, Comas and Associates Attorneys; Yalle G. Agbre, president of I.C. Management, Inc.; Chairman of the Oswego County Legislature Morris Sorbello; Donald Kunzwiler, County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency (IDA) board member; Ahmed Diomande, director of fiscal studies, New York State Senate; Dr. Ousmann-A. Gbane, principal and CIO of Lion Capital Management Group; City of Fulton Mayor Michael Stafford; IDA board members Arthur Ospelt and Gary Toth; and Kevin Caraccioli, Seiter, Caraccioli and Associates.
Pictured seated, from left, are Firmin Kouakou, general manager of FRC Control and Regulation Funds, Ivory Coast; IDA Chairwoman Carolyn Rush; and L. Michael Treadwell, IDA secretary and executive director of Operation Oswego County.

Three Companies Investing $52.6 Million to Re-Open Nestle and Sonoco Plants

STATE OF NEW YORK EXECUTIVE CHAMBER GEORGE E. PATAKI, GOVERNOR Press Office 518-474-8418 212-681-4640

http://www.state.ny.us

FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATE
12/10/2003

GOVERNOR PATAKI HAILS 630 NEW JOBS FOR THE CITY OF FULTON

Three Companies Investing $52.6 Million to Re-Open Nestle and Sonoco Plants

Governor George E. Pataki today announced that two companies, The New York Chocolate and Confections Company and Spear USA, LLC, will create 430 new jobs and invest $46.25 million in the City of Fulton, re-opening the city’s former Nestle plant and the Sonoco Flexible Packaging facility.

Today’s news is in addition to the Governor’s October 8^th announcement of 200 new jobs and an intended $6.375 million investment by the Fulton Chocolate Company at the former Nestle plant.

“We’ve worked hard to bring these 630 jobs to Fulton,” Governor Pataki said. “Upstate New York has a bright economic future anchored by our tremendous workforce and business-friendly policies that attract companies such as these to create jobs here. We have worked to keep taxes and business costs down so that we can continue to compete and win these jobs and new investments.”

The New York Chocolate and Confections Company, a new company formed by the cocoa bean producer's cooperatives of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire (the Ivory Coast), in a joint venture with Lion Capital Management Group, intend to invest $40 million in the former Nestle facility where they will manufacture cocoa, cocoa butter, bulk and flake chocolate. The company will initially occupy approximately 250,000 square feet of space. Project costs include building renovations, equipment purchases and necessary site work. The company expects to hire 373 people within the first three years of operation.

Senator Jim Wright said, "This is wonderful news for the City of Fulton and Oswego County. The long history of chocolate making and packaging attracted these companies to Fulton, but the quality of local workers sealed the deal. This was a team effort from local employees to city and county officials up to Governor Pataki. I applaud everyone for their hard work and welcome these three new companies to Fulton."

Assemblyman Will Barclay said, "Over the past year, the City of Fulton has been hard hit by job losses as a result of factory closings. Fortunately, due to the leadership of Governor Pataki and the assistance of ESDC, Fulton is on the verge of recovering from these losses. I salute the Fulton Chocolate Company, the New York Chocolate and Confections Company and Spear for making a commitment to begin business in the City of Fulton, and I look forward to working with these businesses to help them prosper in years to come."

As previously announced by the Governor, a new business entity, the Fulton Chocolate Company, will make a $6.375 million investment in approximately 140,000 square feet of space at the former Nestle plant. The company will create 80 new jobs within one year and 200 new jobs within three years. They will manufacture a variety of candy bars and a product line of zero-carbohydrate bars.

The third company, Spear, will invest $6.25 million to expand its U.S. operations into New York State. The company will lease the Sonoco Flexible Packaging facility and will hire 60 workers within three years. Many of these new jobs are expected to be filled by former Sonoco employees, otherwise scheduled for layoffs as that company closes in early 2004. Spear manufactures prime, pressure sensitive labels for the beverage, food and personal care industries.

Dr. Ousmann-A Gbane, Principal & Chief Investment Officer of Lion Capital Management Group, said, “I can say without reservation that this is truly a unique structure at a unique place – Something no one has done before in this industry. To be able to bring a consortium of cocoa producers as direct investors to the business of manufacturing fine chocolate with the already trained labor available at the oldest chocolate manufacturer is wonderful. By building on the strength of the Cote-d’Ivoire cocoa producers and Fulton chocolate labor market reputation and savior faire in the chocolate industry, we intend to bring our global expertise and innovation to this business. This will enable us to better serve existing customers and attract other world-class customers to the American marketplace, creating opportunity for the entire sector.”

Richard Duffy, Chief Executive Officer of Fulton Chocolate Company said, “We are excited to be here to help usher in a new era of chocolate making for Fulton. We are here because the people have a 100 year heritage of chocolate making and have the tremendous experience and expertise to make a major impact on the entire chocolate industry.”

Michael Stafford, Mayor, City of Fulton said, “This is a tremendous announcement for the City of Fulton. The creation of these additional jobs will help the city turn the corner towards improving economic growth and the quality of life. I want to thank Governor Pataki and everyone involved for their investment and commitment to see the Nestle and Sonoco plants re-open."

Morris Sorbello, Chairman, Oswego County Legislature said, “Thank you to Governor Pataki, Mayor Stafford, ESD, Oswego County IDA, and all the companies involved for their support, commitment and investment to our region. This is another great opportunity to improve on the existing infrastructure and move towards building a strong economy for the City of Fulton and the County of Oswego."

L. Michael Treadwell, CEcD, executive director of Operation Oswego County, said, “The city of Fulton and Oswego County will soon benefit from the reutilization of two major manufacturing facilities in Fulton is a true testament to the dedication and partnership between Empire State Development, Niagara Mohawk, the County of Oswego IDA and our other federal, state and local elected officials and community partners. The reuse of the Nestle and Sonoco facilities provides not only a significant economic impact associated with re-establishing jobs that were lost due to the plant closures, but in addition, it creates the potential to generate additional jobs and economic stability for the future. We are fortunate that the Fulton Chocolate Company, Lion Capital Management and Spear Corporation have chosen to locate their manufacturing operations in Oswego County."

Charles A. Gargano, Chairman of Empire State Development (ESD), said, “These projects clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of Governor Pataki’s economic programs and our ability to attract new investment and jobs to the Upstate economy. This announcement of more than 600 jobs for the City of Fulton is outstanding news and speaks to our proactive work to recruit new business."

In consideration of its commitment to the New York State economy, these three companies will receive assistance from Empire State Development. The New York Chocolate and Confections Company is eligible to apply for a $1 million capital grant, while Spear is eligible for a $225,000 capital grant. As previously announced, the Fulton Chocolate Company is eligible to apply to ESD for a $500,000 capital grant.

La Societe ecran qui a servi a detourne l'argent.

Ic Trading Llc
2380 Buford Dr, Lawrenceville, GA 30043-7638, United States

Phone: (678) 985-2516
SIC:Chocolate and Cocoa Products
Line of Business:Mfg Chocolate/Cocoa Products

This company profile is for the private company Ic Trading Llc, located in Lawrenceville, GA. Ic Trading Llc's line of business is mfg chocolate/cocoa products.

Company Profile: Ic Trading Llc
Year Started:N/A
State of Incorporation:N/A
URL:N/A
Location Type:Single Location
Stock Symbol:N/A
Stock Exchange:N/A
Also Does Business As:N/A
NAICS:N/A
SIC #Code:2066
Est. Annual Sales:$110,000
Est. Employees:2
Est. Employees at Location:2
Contact Name:Yalle Avert

Chocolate Producers React Cautiously to Ivory Coast Cocoa Situation

Chocolate Producers React Cautiously to Ivory Coast Cocoa Situation
Source: FLEXNEWS
23/10/2006

23 October 2006 -

Ivory Coast cocoa farmers suspended a 3-day strike on Wednesday 18 October to allow the government time to resolve the problem of the producer price. However, should the response be negative, the strike will resume without prior warning from Wednesday 25 October, a cocoa farmers' association spokesman told journalists.

The strike was initially carried out on Monday 16 October after authorities opened the harvesting season and announced a retail price of USD 80 cents per kilo. The Ivory Coast Cocoa Association, however, told the media that farmers are seeking USD 1.15 per kilo.

According to Ivory Coast government statistics, the country is the world's top grower of cocoa beans, producing 40% of global output. Nonetheless, analysts believe that if the strike resumes, it would have to stretch out for weeks before eventually impacting world supplies and prices. Numerous press reports, however, claim that the chocolate industry could be threatened.

Forward-Thinking Producers

Leading Swiss chocolate manufacturer, Barry Callebaut, is rather optimistic about the situation in the Ivory Coast. Gaby Tschofen, Vice-President of Corporate Communications at the firm informed FLEXNEWS that the Swiss chocolate manufacturer has cocoa bean stocks in its factories, and processing is going on normally.

We believe that the current farmer protests will only have a short-term price effect. We don't expect a long-lasting price effect, given the level of cocoa bean stocks in consuming countries and given current forecasts that say supply will meet demand, added Tschofen.

Nestl, another global leader in the chocolate industry, told FLEXNEWS that the company was monitoring the Ivory Coast situation very closely. "Nestl purchases its cocoa from a number of countries, including the Ivory Coast. Thus we do not rely on any one country for our cocoa supplies, said Robin Tickle, of the firms communication department.

Stratfor, a security consulting intelligence agency, believes that, if the strike resumes, it is not likely to last very long. The agency adds that cocoa farmers in the country are very poor and getting their short-lived cocoa crop to port, and then exported, is time-critical. They cannot afford to have their crop rot as a consequence of a long strike, the agency said.

Reviving US Chocolate Factory Proves Bittersweet

Reviving US Chocolate Factory Proves Bittersweet
Source: Reuters
07/04/2006


New York, April 7 - At the time, it sounded like a good idea to Lion Capital Management Group: rescue America's oldest milk-chocolate plant and bring in cocoa growers from war-torn Ivory Coast as investors.
Daily News Alerts



Three years later, however, the plant remains idle and new investment partners are being sought to revive the plant, Hausmann Banet, president and chief executive of Lion Capital, told Reuters in a recent interview.

Lion Capital has also talked to potential investors from cocoa-growing countries Brazil and Ghana. Cocoa beans are used to make chocolate.

"We gave every benefit of doubt to the Ivory Coast since 2003, and the result is that nothing has been produced today," said Banet.

Built on the cusp of 1900, the former Nestle plant in upstate New York shut its doors in May 2003, forcing about 475 staff out of work.

San Francisco-based Lion Capital, an investment banker and hedge fund company, attempted to rescue the plant by creating a new joint venture. Ivory Coast, the world's top cocoa producer, was brought in as an investor with an investment promise of about $40 million.

Then, a company called New York Chocolate and Confections Co. of Fulton was formed to manufacture cocoa, flake chocolate and cocoa butter at the site in Oswego County. New York State, which backed the proposal because it would generate jobs, offered an incentive package valued at around $13 million.

"So far New York Chocolate has failed to fulfill those issues and, as a result, we have not received any incentive package from the State of New York," Banet said, adding that Lion Capital acquired about two-thirds of the plant's assets from Nestle in September 2003.

Local media reported that Ivory Coast delegates were visiting the plant this week, but so far they have not agreed to make a commitment.

ALTERNATIVES

"We want the plant to continue to make chocolate. As a matter of fact, we are still in contact with the Brazilian delegation and they are willing to provide cocoa beans to the plant and move forward," Banet said.

He said the door was also open for talks with Ghana, the world's second largest cocoa producer behind Ivory Coast. Brazil likewise ranks among the top five cocoa growers.

Making Ivory Coast a partner at the time was considered a good move, despite a civil war in the West African country from 2002 to 2003, Banet said.

Ivory Coast's cocoa output amounts to about 40 percent of the world's cocoa production, though the country is split between the rebel-held north and the government-controlled south amid an at-times tenuous cease-fire.

"But today, I'm waiting to see ... we are starting to think about alternatives to that," he said.

Banet personally spoke with Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo to negotiate the deal in 2003, the Lion CEO said.

"Gbagbo talked to me and he said that he was very happy that we opened the door for the Ivory Coast, for the first time in the history of the country, to own a chocolate factory with an American partner," Banet said.

"But I think they have too many people on their side claiming that they are representing (Ivory Coast). At the end of the day, we don't know who is representing what, and I think that is the key problem," he said.

SIGNALER UN ABUS Msg n� 2052345

Filiere cafe-cacao : usine de fulton aux usa

Selon RFI


Filiere cafe-cacao : usine de fulton aux usa
Le regime FPI soupconne de blanchiment d'argent

Le Patriote No. 2379 du Vendredi 7 Septembre 2007

Des retraits amricains pourraient bien faire les frais des investissements hasardeux du FRC, le fonds de rgulation et de contrle, qui chapeaute le ngoce du cacao ivoirien.

Le fonds qui gere leurs pensions s'est allie aux instances de la dite filiere du cacao pour acquerir en decembre 2003 l'usine de chocolat de Fulton, pres de New York. Hausmann Banet, le dirigeant de ce fonds de pension base en Californie, (Lion Capital) est aujourdhui presse de recuperer ses billes, soit les 20% qu'il detient dans l'usine, car le retour sur investissement n'est pas au rendez-vous. Et pour cause ! L'usine n'a toujours pas produit le moindre carreau de chocolat. Longtemps, cet ivoirien d'origine a accepter les explications d'Abidjan sur les retards occasionnes par la guerre civile dans les financements promis. Mais lui et ses actionnaires ont fini par se lasser et ont lance un detective a la recherche des capitaux engloutis. 39 millions de dollars ont bien ete vires par le FRC l'usine de New York, mais ils n'ont jamais atteint leur destinataire. On en perd la trace apers un transit via un compte ouvert au nom d'une societe ecran, IC Trading, dans l'Etat de Georgie; l'enquete menee par le detective n'a pas permis d'en savoir plus sur leur destination finale. Si l'argent etait arrive a l'usine on n'en serait pas la aujourdhui , deplore Hausmann Banet. Deux maisons ont par ailleurs ete acquises a New York pour les cadres dirigeants. Le comite d'Oswego qui a genereusement subventionne l'usine pour sauver quelques centaines d'emplois menace de se retirer, selon le lobbyiste recrute par le fonds de pension pour regler le contentieux. Pour l'instant, les Ivoiriens jouent la montre et n'ont toujours pas signe l'accord trouve en juin, accord qui prevoit le refinancement de l'entreprise, un changement de gestion et l'apurement des dettes accumulees. Dans plusieurs courriers adresses au president Gbagbo en juin dernier, le lobbyiste lui demande de faire accelerer la procedure. Malgre les reunions convoquees par le president avec les personnes concernees, ces demandes sont restes lettre morte. Recemment, Hausmann Banet est passe e l'action judiciaire. Il a lance des poursuites contre le FRC qui devra repondre du soupon de blanchiment d'argent. Montant du prjudice subi par le fonds de pension : de lordre de 40 millions de dollars. Reste a determiner les raparations auxquelles pourraient pretendre les planteurs ivoiriens, les premiers floues dans cette affaire. Depuis quelques jours, ils exigent eux aussi des comptes aux structures censees les representer et menacent une fois de plus de ne pas livrer les feves qu'ils s'appretent a recolter lors de la saison principale.
(Source Rfi)

La Recherche de l'Usine des Planteurs de Cacao

A LA RECHERCHE DE LA MYSTERIEUSE USINE DE CHOCOLAT DES PLANTEURS DE CACAO DE COTE D'IVOIRE.

Vendredi 7 Septembre 2007

Fulton, New York.

Le Maire.

Quartoze milliards de francs CFA ont ete detournes au detriment des planteurs de cacao de Cote D'Ivoire dans un projet d'investissement pour la rehabilitation d'une vieille usine de Nestle dans la ville de Fulton, dans l'etat de New York. A l'annonce de ce projet, plusieurs de nos concitoyens ont saute de joie car pour la premiere fois de son histoire, la Cote D'Ivoire serait enfin productrice de chocolat. Quoi de plus normal puisque le pays est le premier producteur de cacao. Les planteurs ont soutenu ce prjet et ont confie le projet a divers organisations qui se sont crees precipitamment pour gerer le secteur du cafe et du cacao.

Le journaliste Franco-canadien, Guy-Andre Kieffer, qui a commis le peche de trop regarder a la gestion de cette filiere cafe cacao est depuis porte disparu. Il a certainement ete tue. Et l'enquete pietine.

J'ai decide d'aller visiter cette usine dont on parle tant et que nul n'a eu le privilege d'avoir une photo. Pour les planteurs de Cote D'Ivoire et tous ceux qui sont interesses par cette usine. Je vous offre cette video. Vous conviendrez avec moi que nos paysans ont encore ete exploites sans vergogne, sans scrupule, et avec expertise par des personnes qui n'ont jamais voulu investir dans une usine de chocolat. A Fulton, le vieu batiment de Nestle croule sous la rouille. La seule chose qui surprend c'est que les lumieres sont allumees du matin au soir et les generateurs tournent. Qui paye pour la facture d'electricite? Nos planteurs de Cote D'Ivoire?

Copyright Le maire 2007.