This year, supply shortages from major producing countries like the Ivory Coast and Ghana have driven a dramatic increase in cocoa prices.
It's thanks to adverse weather conditions and crop diseases.
According to Ghana’s food and agriculture minister, Bryan Acheampong, prices have more than doubled for the 2024/2025 cocoa season.
As Halloween and the Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays loom, will that put a damper on your plans for sweet treats?
Rob Nelson, CEO of Elmer Chocolate in Ponchatoula, says you can actually rest easy for now.
“The current year’s chocolate is business as usual. All of this chocolate was booked well in advance in August of 2023,” Nelson says.
“We’re going to see higher prices for cocoa, but I don’t see any issues with supply,” he goes on to reassure sweet toothed worriers.
While higher prices may be looming down the line, it isn’t a complete certainty, and it won’t interfere with holiday plans.
Nelson explains, “We’re booked for all of our chocolate through all of the holidays, and that would be Christmas, Valentine’s Day, AND Easter.”
And while chocolate makers are right to be concerned about any potential issues with much-needed cocoa harvests, Nelson says early fears may have been a bit overstated.
“Going forward, YES it has been a volatile year for cocoa, but it’s starting to level out. With the new crop coming out this month, indications are positive that it won’t be as bad as once feared,” he adds.
Looks like you may not need to resort exclusively to fruit snacks just yet.