Cocoa prices hit all-time highs in 2024 and 2025. Producers in West Africa sold hundreds of thousands of tons to buyers in China, and poor growing conditions led to record prices for Western chocolate companies.
But over the past year, cocoa prices have plunged by 70%, as weather improved. Yet chocolate candy prices have increased, despite collapsing input costs.
“Shrinkflation” and “Skimpflation” were deployed by candy companies in Europe and the United States. Smaller packaging, and the substitution of cocoa butter with inferior oils, resulted in booming profits even while cocoa prices soared.
Now that input costs have fallen, chocolate companies have maintained those strategies, and are more profitable than ever.
I’m going to have to start a black market/underground chocolate business that operates like a cannabis dealer with delivery by bicycle. All the regional varieties will be named in the style of cannabis strains.
Dark Chocolate Market
I’m eating that artisanal pack. I’m dipping fruit in that ding ding ebike zaza. I’m baking cookies you’ve never learned the names of with that seventh generation organic Haitian rebel loud. I’m tempering my bars on crystal phases that’ll make your head go snap crackle pop
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