A Ghanaian company makes wine from cocoa

Cocoa has been Ghana's main commercial crop for several decades. And although the West African country is the second largest cocoa producer and exporter in the world, some are still looking into different ways to exploit it. Such as Dr Harrison Adjimah who uses cocoa and other local raw materials in his wines.

The senior lecturer conducts an entrepreneurship programme to encourage students to be innovative which allows him to demonstrates the potential of value addition to local raw materials.

"We were looking for ways to prove to the students that it is possible to develop premium products from our local resources. So, the idea of making wine from cocoa became quite appealing, explainsHarrison Adjimah founder of Volta Winery.

In addition to cocoa, cashew and coffee beans are processed into refined red and white wines and juice.

"What is so clear is that there are aspects of things in the cocoa that we are not using for anything. For example, if you are making wine from cocoa, the cocoa bean is there you can still export it. We are spanning the cocoa industry, and am proud to part of that push as well", says Adjimah.

Besides making sweet wines, the senior lecturer uses his branding and packaging power to attract more clients. Volta Winery aspires to become the premium cocoa, coffee and cashew winemaker in Ghana using the standard wine production steps.