Kota Kinabalu: The Malaysian International Cocoa Fair 2025 (MICF 2025) saw RM355m generate.
The programmes that generated income included; Current sales of exhibitors (RM3.74 million); Exhibitor sales contracts (RM12.47 million); International Cocoa Business Matching (ICBM) (RM241.71 million); Cocoa Business Matching (CBM) (RM93.58 million); Virtual International Sourcing Programme (INSP) (RM2.37 million); TikTok Shop Livestream Sales Results (RM32,348); and Overall Prizes for Cocoa Lucky Draw (RM305,000).
Overall, the fair had a positive impact on the development of the local cocoa industry.
Sabah, is one of the main contributors to the country’s cocoa production.
The Malaysian International Cocoa Conference (MICC) and Malaysian International Cocoa Dinner (MICD) 2025 received more than 1,000 from home and abroad, while the Malaysian International Cocoa Exhibition (MICE) 2025 involved 118 exhibitors and received more than 15,000 visitors.
International participation involved more than 20 countries, including Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, Ghana and Belgium, and the presence of these various countries reflects the success of MICF as an international-class trade and knowledge sharing platform.
Hosting the event in Sabah has opened up greater opportunities for local cocoa smallholders and entrepreneurs to promote their products, attract investment and strengthen Sabah’s position as a competitive regional cocoa destination.
Through the MICC, participants including cocoa farmers and entrepreneurs from Sabah were exposed to various strategic issues of the global cocoa industry presented by local and international experts.
Among the main topics discussed were the sustainability of the cocoa supply chain, soil health, the impact of climate change, smart agriculture, biotechnology in cocoa varieties, compliance with international regulations such as the EUDR, as well as Malaysia’s potential as a regional cocoa trade hub.
Programmes such as the Business Opportunities Pocket Talk, Cocoa Knowledge Hub, and the Malaysian Cocoa Pavilion conducted during MICE 2025 also had a direct impact on Sabah farmers in understanding the cocoa value chain and accessing current technologies and innovations.
In addition, products such as Beautecoa exhibited at the LKM Pavilion have attracted the interest of a local company from Sabah, namely Borneo Terra Holdings Sdn.Bhd., which expressed its desire to collaborate in terms of distribution and rebranding, proving the potential for commercialisation and investment from the MICF.
An industry visit was also organised on 28 May 2025 to cocoa plantations in Kampung Lokos and Kampung Napong, involving 198 participants from within and outside the country, as well as a visit to the Mari-Mari Cultural Village.
Overall, organising MICF 2025 in Sabah has successfully strengthened the visibility of this state as one of the main focuses of the regional and international cocoa sector.
