Cocoa prices are expected to fall and ease the cost of chocolates by 2026

Chocolate prices, which have weighed on consumers' pockets in 2024 and 2025, may begin to ease in 2026. The expectation is that the sharp drop in cocoa prices will bring some relief to the industry and reduce the pressure on consumer price adjustments. Major manufacturers, such as Mondelez International and Hershey’s, signal a more favorable scenario. Mondelez's Chief Financial Officer, Luca Zaramella, stated that although cocoa is still expensive, the downward trend is consistent and should improve company margins. Hershey’s also revised its revenue forecast for 2025 upward, indicating optimism about production costs. The price retreat is linked to the recovery of the global cocoa supply. After a weak harvest in 2024, producing countries such as Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Ecuador have recorded better weather conditions this year. According to the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO), the market is expected to move from a deficit of nearly 500,000 tons in 2024 to a surplus of ...