Chocolate Love Has Its Price on Valentine’s Day

No Beans, No Valentine’s Chocolate

Artisan chocolates are displayed in a box at The Chocolate Line in Bruges, Belgium, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

The price of cocoa beans is setting unprecedented records on the commodities market, making it a bigger financial commitment than it once was. Artisan chocolatiers are feeling the impact, as the price increase is “absolutely spectacular,” according to Philippe de Sellier, head of both Leonidas and Belgian chocolate federation Choprabisco.

“The price increase of cocoa is absolutely spectacular, now for 2, 2½ years,” de Sellier said. “When it stood at less than $2,000 a ton in the summer of 2022, it really took over early last year and peaked at well over $12,000 during the Christmas season and has been hovering around the $10,000 mark since.”

The Perfect Chocolate Storm

The shock of cocoa prices is a metaphorical perfect storm, mixing climate, disease, commodity speculation, the plight of farmers, and social ascendency around the world into one heady mix.

“The drop that has happened now in production was directly linked to climate change,” said Bart Van Besien, policy adviser of the Oxfam fair trade group. “The temperature differences between night and day increased in the small strip of land around the equator where the trees can thrive. Compounded by disease, it made sure too many harvests failed.”

Chocolate Love Within Reach

Does it mean a premier box of chocolates is a guilty pleasure on Valentine’s Day?

“Ye, the guilt question …. It’s one that always works,” said Van Besien. “We could not survive if we would be thinking about these things all the time,” arguing that legislation should trump consumer emotions.

“We should have laws that make buying cocoa below the cost of production something illegal. And it should not be up to the consumer to make this decision,” he said.

Conclusions

The high price of cocoa beans is a result of a complex mix of factors, including climate change, disease, and commodity speculation. While it may make it more expensive for chocolatiers to produce high-quality chocolate, it is a small luxury that most people can still afford. Artisan chocolatiers hope that the prices will drop down again, but in the meantime, the chocolate should not leave too bitter a taste.

FAQs

* What is causing the high price of cocoa beans?
The high price of cocoa beans is due to a combination of factors, including climate change, disease, and commodity speculation.
* How is the high price of cocoa beans affecting artisan chocolatiers?
The high price of cocoa beans is making it more expensive for artisan chocolatiers to produce high-quality chocolate, which may lead to higher prices for consumers.
* Is it still worth it to buy high-quality chocolate?
Despite the higher price, many people still value high-quality chocolate as a small luxury that is worth the cost.