Prices for chocolate explode: cocoa crisis meets consumers!

Prices for chocolate explode: cocoa crisis meets consumers!

Breitenbrunn, Österreich - The price increases in the chocolate sector have recently been unmistakable. According to Wolfgang Stöhr, the managing director of Ritter Sport Austria, the prices for chocolate have increased by impressive 25 to 30 percent in recent months. The reason for this is the rapid increase in cocoa prices, which began in November 2023. Stöhr said that the price for cocoa, which was stable for around £ 2,000 per ton for many years, has now reached up to £ 11,000. This drastic increase in price is primarily due to the repeated missed in the traditional cultivation countries Like Ghana and Ivory Coast, as the ORF Burgenland reported.

volatile markets and follow -up disruptions

The situation remains tense: In the first half of the coming financial year, Stöhr expects further price increases in the double -digit range, but below 25 percent. Despite this uncertainty, Ritter Sport remained stable in Austria and was able to easily keep sales in the previous year to 22.3 million euros. Customer satisfaction is also shown by the fact that the market for chocolate is growing of six to eight percent, such as Kurier supplemented.

Ritter Sport takes the opportunity to launch innovative products. Stöhr described the vegan chocolate as a great success, with a market share of 40 percent in the vegan segment. The increase in raw material prices has not made itself a little noticeable, but the traditional brand remains an important player on the market, which includes a total of around 238 million euros. A decline in sales by three percent was compensated for by the high-demand products such as the new pistachio chocolates and the Amicelli rolls, which also enjoy great popularity.