The Cocoa Merchants' Association of America, Inc., is a trade organization founded in 1924, and groups as its Regular Members all major importing dealers of cocoa beans and cocoa products.

Chocolate manufacturers, merchants domiciled in foreign countries, and domestic commission houses may join the Association as Associate Trade Members, while persons and firms providing supporting services to the industry may join as Associate Members. Such firms are, for example, weighers, bankers, steamship companies, warehouse operators, port authorities, etc.

A ten member Board of Directors, comprising of eight Regular Members and two Associate Trade or Associate Members governs the Association. The daily activities are handled by an Administrator.

The Association provides its members with the following services:

1. Publications and regular updating of standard sales contracts for the domestic and international trade of cocoa beans and cocoa products.

2. Arbitration facilities to settle disputes arising out of contractual obligations through a simple, fair, quick and low cost review and adjudication procedure by experts in the field.

3. Daily publication of spot prices for cocoa beans and cocoa products.

4. Information gathering and exchange center for important developments pertaining to physical operations of the cocoa trade, such as regulatory and traffic matters.

5. Organization of educational and social gatherings, such as seminars, Golf Outing & Dinner, and the International Cocoa Conference. Members enjoy reduced registration fees for all events.

6. Representation of the importing trades' interest vis-a-vis the Federal Government and other government agencies, notably in such areas as the International Cocoa Agreement, FDA, EPA, FMA, and Customs.

7. Maintenance of contacts with other similar trade organizations in the cocoa area in the U.S. and abroad.

8. Maintenance of statistical information, which is available to members of the Association.

9. Frequent memos to its members on important developments affecting their interests.

10. Administration of the Warehouse Inspection Program with professional inspections of public warehouses storing the participating members' cocoa.

11. Elaboration and publication of voluntary standard practice guidelines on warehouse housekeeping, arbitration sampling and shipping cocoa beans in ocean going containers.