Not even the Easter Bunny is free from inflation and demanded higher pay to house-hop over the weekend.
You may have noticed that the bunny and egg-shaped confections calling to you from store shelves cost nearly as much as a meal.
Chocolate prices are 65% higher this year due to bean disease in West Africa.
Over 70% of the world’s cocoa supply comes from Ghana and the Ivory Coast. In 2022 alone, West Africa produced 3.9 million tonnes of cocoa.
Abnormal weather patterns underpin the problem, says Sophia Carodenuto, a University of Victoria professor specializing in the cocoa supply chain.
Excessive rain followed by dry stretches strain the crops and the farmers.
“These smallholder farmers are highly vulnerable. When you see these price shocks, it’s very unlikely it is trickling down to the farmer and arguably the actor in the supply chain who would need this money the most” Carodenuto told CBC.
Both large corporations and small businesses are struggling with the cost increase but are finding creative ways to keep up.
Priscilla Tallo, the manager of The Chocolateria in Toronto, plans on cutting back on other high-cost ingredients like dried fruit, nuts and marshmallows.
They’re also experimenting with smaller sizing and different packaging.
In contrast, some businesses are incorporating more non-cocoa ingredients.
Hershey’s Easter collection includes cookies ‘n’ cream eggs, lemon KitKat bars and assortment bags with gummy bears inside.
The Cocoa Crisis has shown the value of knowing where our food comes from.
It also presents an opportunity to learn how corporate and government institutions impact production, both positively and negatively.
Carodenuto recommends supporting smallholder farmers by seeking ethically produced chocolate and companies with supply chain transparency.
Follow @fairtradecanada for more about how we can navigate the cocoa crisis as a community.