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00:03Chocolate makers are increasingly reducing cocoa content or replacing it with alternative
00:07ingredients as price volatility, supply disruptions, and sustainability concerns
00:12pressure the industry, according to CNBC. Poor harvests in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire
00:17drove cocoa futures above $12,000 per ton late last year, before prices fell more than 50% in
00:242025. Price volatility has pushed higher costs into consumer goods, with Circona and the U.S.
00:31Bureau of Labor Statistics showing chocolate prices rose 30% in the year to October.
00:37Some manufacturers have reformulated products, forcing chocolate-flavored labeling. A shift
00:43away from cocoa is gaining traction among international confectioners, with alternatives
00:47like carob, pumpkin seed, and chickpea-based chocolate used in budget-friendly confectionery,
00:53baked goods, and ice creams. Brokers said hedging practices could keep retail prices elevated
00:59for months, even as futures decline. For all things money, visit Benzinga.com.
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