Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/510145
R e s t a u r a n t D a i l y N e w s 7 0 COCOA AND CHOCOLATE INDUSTRY AND IVORIAN GOVERNMENT AGREE ON PLANT INITIATIVE The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) and Cote d'Ivoire's Conseil du Café-Cacao have announced an agreement to improve cocoa planting material. The agreement is closely aligned with the Ivorian government's 2QC national cocoa strategy and comes less than a year after WCF announced CocoaAction, the chocolate and cocoa industry's strategy for sustainability in the cocoa sector. As part of its efforts to improve planting material, WCF also announced its focus on new methods of propagation and addressing cocoa swollen shoot virus. These components are championed by WCF member companies Mars, Incorporated and Nestlé. "WCF is pleased to be working with le Conseil du Café-Cacao to provide improved planting material to cocoa farmers in Cote d'Ivoire," said WCF President, Bill Guyton. "CocoaAction supports the rehabilitation of cocoa farms to improve farmer livelihoods, and this partnership is a key step toward making that possible." "This agreement on access to plant- ing material and the fight against cocoa swollen shoot virus is an important step toward carrying out concrete actions at the farm level," said Massandjé Touré- Litse, Director-General, le Conseil du Café-Cacao. To support the execution of the planting material strategy, WCF recently employed an Abidjan-based Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus expert, Dr. Mfegue Crescence Virginie. Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus is a disease that causes insuf- ficient production of chlorophyll in cocoa trees, eventually resulting in death. Working in close coordination with le Conseil du Café-Cacao, Interprofessional Fund for Agricultural Research and Advisory Services (FIRCA) and the National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Mfegue will support the identi- fication and propagation of virus-resist- ant trees and developing in-field tests that allow for early detection of the disease. Selected to participate in the Norman E. Borlaug Cocoa Fellowship program in cooperation with United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agriculture Service and WCF, Kacou M'Bo of Cote d'Ivoire's National Center for Agronomic Research is expected to provide research support on drought resistant varieties of cocoa trees. The fellowship provides fellows with skills and knowledge to help their coun- tries become more competitive producers and exporters of cocoa and cocoa prod- ucts. In support of CocoaAction's pro- ductivity component, WCF also announced the completion of a good agriculture practices guide that includes information on fertilizer use and soil fertility practices in Cote d'Ivoire. The guide, developed in partnership with the national agency supporting rural devel- opment (ANADER), Conseil du Café- Cacao, the Dutch Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) and WCF's African Cocoa Initiative, will be used by public and private sector partners for training activities with cocoa farmers. The African Cocoa Initiative is a program supported by WCF member companies and the United States Agency for International Development. ALTAMONT CAPITAL PARTNERS ACQUIRES COTTON PATCH CAFE LLC Altamont Capital Partners has acquired Cotton Patch Cafe, LLC (Cotton Patch), a scratch-made Southern food restaurant concept with 45 locations in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. Commenting on the transaction, Cotton Patch's founders, Larry Marshall and Michael Patranella, who opened the company's first location in 1989, said, "The idea behind the first Cotton Patch Cafe was to create a local restaurant that offered great food made from scratch, served by caring folks who are part of your community. That culture still holds true 25 years later and we are confident that Altamont is the right partner to help bring it to many more communities in the future." Cotton Patch CEO Kathy Nelson, who previously held leadership positions at Pizza Hut, Pillsbury, and General Mills, will continue to lead the business and invested alongside Altamont in the transaction. "We look forward to build- ing on Cotton Patch's strong legacy and see attractive opportunities to expand the concept both in existing and adjacent markets. We believe there are many cus- tomers that would appreciate our quality, scratch-made Southern food offered at a value price," Kathy said, commenting on the deal. "Altamont's experience in the restaurant industry will be a great resource in helping us execute the com- pany's plans. The team is aligned with our culture and values and we are excited to partner with them going forward." Echoing that sentiment, Jonathan Altman, Principal of Altamont, said, "Cotton Patch has been successful through its focus on value, high-quality food, Southern hospitality and the local community around each restaurant. We are excited to build upon that success and support the management team through- out the company's next phase of growth." "We are thrilled to expand our restaurant portfolio to include Cotton Patch," added Altamont Managing Director Randall Eason. "We look for- ward to the opportunity to contribute to the company's continued success." Piper Jaffray & Co. and Locke Lord LLP advised Cotton Patch while Ropes & Gray LLP advised and represented Altamont.