Cocoa futures are trading at $5,327 per metric ton, down 34% from the peak of nearly $12,000 reached at the end of 2024. Despite this correction after two decades of prices ranging between $2,000 and $3,000, chocolate remains expensive: Lindt raised prices by 11.8%, causing its sales volumes to drop 7.5%. Barry Callebaut saw global chocolate consumption fall 4.4% in the third quarter, although the company’s sales volumes rebounded by 5.7%, returning to growth for the first time in over two years. In response to weak demand, major chocolate makers are now focusing on product innovation and social media marketing rather than cutting prices, exemplified by Lindt’s Dubai Style chocolate bar, launched to capitalize on a viral trend.
Source: Read the original article
