Union of Agricultural Producers of San-Pédro (UPAS)

What Union of Agricultural Producers of San-Pédro (UPAS) does

Union des Producteurs Agricoles de San-Pédro – Coopérative avec Conseil d'Administration (UPAS COOP-CA) is a member-owned agricultural cooperative headquartered in Méné-Centre, in the sub-prefecture of Gabiadji (San-Pédro region of Côte d'Ivoire), with a branch office in San-Pédro city. Founded in 2018 with 620 members, it aggregates certified cocoa from 2,019 smallholder producers (including 135 women) organized into 7 sections across approximately 6,918 hectares of cultivation, with annual throughput capacity exceeding 5,000 tonnes. The cooperative employs 22 staff under a 7-member Board of Directors and a 3-member Supervisory Board, headed by PCA M. NIAMPA Brahima and Director General M. KOUAKOU Y. Charles Michel.

UPAS's core business is the collection, storage, and commercialization of certified cocoa beans (Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, RDUE, ARS100) to international buyers and chocolate manufacturers, supplemented by secondary offerings: agricultural training in Good Agricultural Practices (BPA), child-labor-prevention coaching delivered via Technical Development Agents, agroforestry services coordinated with AGROMAP/Lindt/OFI, a new bio-input (bio-intrant) production line, traceability services, and warehousing capacity (including a new San-Pédro warehouse commissioned in 2026). No proprietary technology platforms were identified; operations rely on conventional cooperative logistics plus donor-supported digital and traceability tooling.

Revenue is generated through a transaction-fee model: the cooperative purchases cocoa from members at seasonal farmgate prices (e.g., 2,800 FCFA/kg for the 2025-2026 main campaign; 1,200 FCFA/kg for the intermediate campaign), stores and grades the beans, and resells to global buyers via certified trade channels, retaining the buy-sell spread and certification premia. The go-to-market is sales-led, executed through 7 section-level assemblies, ATD-led producer engagement, and direct relationships with international exporters. Membership growth (620 → 2,019 producers), the new San-Pédro warehouse, the bio-input line, and three 2025-2026 Pan-African/CACAOFESTI awards indicate an active scaling phase.

Name

Union of Agricultural Producers of San-Pédro (UPAS)

Legal name

Union des Producteurs Agricoles de San-Pédro - Coopérative avec Conseil d'Administration

Website

https://upas-ci.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UPAS COOP-CA is a Côte d'Ivoire cocoa cooperative that aggregates, stores, and commercializes certified cocoa beans from 2,019 smallholder producers across 7 sections in the San-Pédro region, with annual capacity exceeding 5,000 tonnes and four international certifications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cocoa Bean Production & Commercialization (Agricultural Cooperative)

akta.pro primary industry

Tea, Coffee & Cocoa Farming (Beverage Specialty Crops) (AFAGAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Trading/Wholesale (AFAIAKAD), Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support) (BPAGALAL)

Keywords

• Cocoa bean collection
• Agricultural cooperative
• Certified cocoa commercialization
• Sustainable cocoa production
• Smallholder cocoa aggregation

Headquarters

HQ city

San-Pédro

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Cocoa Bean Collection and Commercialization: UPAS generates revenue by purchasing cocoa beans from its 2,019 member producers, storing and consolidating the product, then selling to international buyers and chocolate manufacturers. The cooperative operates in the global cocoa commodity market, selling certified cocoa (Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance) at market prices that fluctuate by campaign season.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

UPAS COOP-CA is a cocoa collection and commercialization cooperative that aggregates cocoa beans from 2,019 member producers across 7 sections (approximately 6,918 hectares) in the San-Pédro region of Côte d'Ivoire. The cooperative stores, consolidates, and sells certified cocoa beans (Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, RDUE, ARS100) to international chocolate manufacturers and exporters, with an annual production capacity exceeding 5,000 tonnes. Complementary offerings include bio-inputs production, agricultural training, agroforestry services, warehousing, and traceability for compliance with international market requirements.

Product overview

UPAS COOP-CA is a cocoa collection and commercialization cooperative founded in 2018, operating as a single unified offering centered on certified sustainable cocoa production. The cooperative's core product is cocoa beans sourced from 2,019 members across 7 sections covering 6,918 hectares. Additional products and services include bio-inputs for sustainable agriculture, agricultural training and coaching, agroforestry implementation, storage/warehousing facilities, and traceability systems. The cooperative holds multiple international certifications (Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, RDUE, ARS100) that underpin its sustainable cocoa offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cocoa Beans (Fèves de cacao) Certified cocoa beans collected, processed, and commercialized from 2,019 member producers across 7 sections covering approximately 6,918 hectares, with an annual capacity exceeding 5,000 tonnes. Sold to international chocolate manufacturers and exporters under Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, RDUE, and ARS100 certifications.
• Bio-Inputs (Bio-intrants) Production of bio-inputs (bio-intrants) for sustainable and high-performing agriculture, supporting environmentally friendly farming practices for member cocoa producers under the cacao-éco project.
• Agricultural Training & Coaching Services Training programs for producers on Good Agricultural Practices (BPA), composting, and child labor prevention in cocoa cultivation, including coaching and awareness sessions delivered by Technical Development Agents (ATDs).
• Agroforestry Services Implementation of agroforestry practices including planting of shade trees in producer fields, supported by AGROMAP, LINDT, and OFI partners to protect cocoa plantations and improve yields.
• Storage & Warehousing Warehouse facilities including a new warehouse in San-Pédro to strengthen storage capacities and improve cocoa bean conservation quality for the cooperative's cocoa bean commercialization.
• Traceability Systems Traceability services managed by dedicated staff to ensure product origin tracking and compliance with international market requirements for certified cocoa exports.

Quantifiable outcome

• Annual production capacity exceeding 5,000 tonnes of cocoa
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Enabel (Belgian Development Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2026Enabel provides governance coaching sessions to strengthen cooperative management and strategic vision. The last session focused on governance practices and improved UPAS's cooperative management.
• LindtcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2025Lindt supports the agroforestry program (AGROMAP) for shade tree planting in cocoa farms, helping producers protect their plantations and improve yields through sustainable agricultural practices.
• OFI (Olam Food Ingredients)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2025OFI supports the agroforestry program (AGROMAP) for shade tree planting in cocoa farms, contributing to sustainable cocoa production and environmental protection initiatives.
• AGROMAPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAGROMAP is the implementation partner for agroforestry operations, coordinating shade tree planting programs in producer fields with support from Lindt and OFI.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Olam Food Ingredients (ofi): Major cocoa sourcing and processing business and direct partner of UPAS through AGROMAP. Operates extensive cocoa supply programs in Côte d'Ivoire and represents both a buyer and sustainability partner archetype.
• Cémoi: French chocolate manufacturer with direct cocoa sourcing from West African cooperatives, including certified supply programs. Comparable buyer-side counterpart operating in the same export channels.
• Barry Callebaut: World's largest chocolate and cocoa manufacturer with extensive direct sourcing programs in West Africa. A major buyer of certified West African cocoa and an anchor counterpart for cooperatives like UPAS.
• Cargill Cocoa: Major cocoa processor and trader with sustainability programs sourcing from West African cooperatives. Operates at scale in the same cocoa value chain though from a buyer/processor position.
• Nestlé Cocoa Plan: Nestlé's cocoa sustainability program sourcing certified beans from West African cooperatives. Represents a major institutional buyer with sustainability requirements comparable to those UPAS is certified against.

Emerging players

• Touton: French-origin cocoa and coffee trader with a strong sustainability focus, sourcing from West African producer organizations. Comparable to UPAS in serving the certified cocoa buyer ecosystem at smaller scale than Cargill or Barry Callebaut.

Regional players

• ETG (Export Trading Group): African-headquartered agricultural commodities trader with cocoa operations in Côte d'Ivoire. Operates as a regional buyer of cocoa from cooperatives, comparable as a counterparty in the same West African supply chain.

Direct peers

• ECOOKIM (Entreprise Coopérative Kim): Large federation of cocoa cooperatives in Côte d'Ivoire aggregating beans from member producers for export. Operates the same smallholder cooperative model in the same geography, making it the closest structural peer to UPAS.
• SCoopCA (Société Coopérative de Café-Cacao): Côte d'Ivoire cooperative structure focused on cocoa collection and commercialization with international certification. Shares UPAS's business model of smallholder aggregation and certified export.
• Coopérative Agricole de Café-Cacao de Côte d'Ivoire (CACC): Côte d'Ivoire cocoa cooperative operating under the Coffee-Cocoa Council framework, sourcing from smallholder producers for certified export. Directly comparable aggregation and certification model serving the same end markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Upascoopca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upas-sanpedro

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Union of Agricultural Producers of San-Pédro (UPAS)