Crunchy candy bars. Peanut butter cups. Chocolate-covered caramels. You’re at the grocery store. The types of chocolate seem endless.

    But the chocolate you see in the candy aisle could soon change.

    The main ingredient in chocolate is cocoa. It is in short supply. Extreme weather has devastated cocoa harvests. Other problems have damaged the harvests too.

    Now there is less cocoa. So cocoa costs more. This is true all over the world.

    What does this mean for chocolate lovers?

    Crunchy candy bars. Peanut butter cups. Chocolate-covered caramels. When you’re in the grocery store, the types of chocolate might seem limitless—and it’s difficult to imagine a world where all these delicious treats aren’t at your fingertips.

    But the chocolate options available in the candy aisle could soon change.

    Cocoa, the main ingredient needed to make chocolate, is in short supply. For the past several years, extreme weather and other problems have devastated cocoa harvests.

    The effects are being felt worldwide—and with less cocoa available, the ingredient has started to cost more.

    What does this mean for chocolate lovers like you?

    Think of your favorite chocolate. Is it a gooey candy bar? Is it a fudgy brownie? Well, that’s far from where it all begins.

    Chocolate is made from cocoa. Cocoa is made from the beans of cacao (kuh-KOW) trees. These trees grow best in hot, tropical climates. Most cacao is grown in Africa, Central America, South America, and Asia.

    Cacao trees are not easy to grow. They can take three or more years to produce their first cacao beans. Plus, they’re very sensitive to changes in temperature and rainfall.

    So extreme weather is a big problem for chocolate. Nearly 60 percent of the world’s cocoa comes from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. These countries are in West Africa.

    In 2023, West Africa got much more rainfall than normal. This year, it has had droughts (periods without rainfall).

    Also, plant diseases are killing cacao trees. These problems have led to less cocoa.

    When you picture chocolate, you might think of gooey candy bars and fudgy brownies. But that’s far from where it all begins.

    Chocolate is made from cocoa, which is made from the beans of cacao (kuh-KOW) trees. These trees do best in hot, tropical climates, and most cacao is grown in parts of Africa, Central America, South America, and Asia.

    However, cacao trees are not easy to grow. They can take three or more years to produce their first cacao beans. In addition, they’re very sensitive to changes in temperature and rainfall.

    That’s why extreme weather is such a serious problem for chocolate. Nearly 60 percent of the world’s cocoa comes from just two countries in West Africa: Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

    In 2023, West Africa received much more rainfall than usual. This year, the area has experienced droughts (periods without rainfall).

    To make matters worse, plant diseases are also killing cacao trees. These problems have resulted in a decrease in the overall amount of available cocoa.

    The supply of cocoa is shrinking. So the demand is higher than the supply. When that happens, prices go up. This is known as supply and demand.

    In the past year, the price of chocolate in the U.S. rose by 10 percent. Experts think the price will keep rising. But how high?

    If prices get too high, people will stop buying chocolate. Chocolate makers know this. So they’re finding ways to keep prices down.

    Some are shrinking package sizes. Others are making candies with less chocolate. One example is the new Chocolate Frosted Donut KitKat. It’s dipped in chocolate on only one side.

    Others are changing their recipes. They’re using less cocoa. They’re trying to get the chocolate taste from other ingredients. (Look at your favorite candy’s label. Does it say chocolate—or chocolate flavor? To call it chocolate, at least 10 percent of the candy’s weight must be cocoa.)

    The supply of cocoa might be shrinking, but that doesn’t mean people have given up their love of chocolate. So right now, the demand for chocolate is higher than the supply. Anytime that happens, prices go up. This is known as supply and demand.

    U.S. chocolate prices have increased 10 percent in the past year, and experts believe they’ll keep rising. But how far will they go?

    Companies are aware that there’s only so much they can charge, because they’ll lose customers if prices get too high. So chocolate makers have come up with other ways to keep prices down.

    Some are shrinking package sizes. Others are pushing candies with less chocolate. For example, the new Chocolate Frosted Donut KitKat is dipped in chocolate on only one side.

    Still others are tweaking their recipes to use less cocoa but boost the chocolate taste with other ingredients. (Look at your favorite candy’s label. Does it say chocolate—or chocolate flavor? To call it chocolate, at least 10 percent of the candy’s weight must be cocoa.)

    What can be done to increase the cocoa supply?

    Farmers in West Africa are trying to plant more cacao trees. But it’s a slow process. “Once you have trouble with your cacao fields, it’s hard to get them to bounce back,” says chocolate expert Melanie Marks.

    A few companies are looking into new ways to grow cacao. One of these companies is called California Cultured. It’s trying to grow real cacao indoors.

    Scientists are studying cacao plants. They’re trying to make them resistant to droughts and disease.

    All these people have the same goal. They want to save sweet, sweet chocolate from reaching a bitter end. 

    So is there anything that can be done to increase the world’s cocoa supply?

    Farmers in West Africa are trying to plant more cacao trees, but it’s a slow process. “Once you have trouble with your cacao fields, it’s hard to get them to bounce back,” says chocolate expert Melanie Marks.

    A few companies are also exploring new ways to grow cacao. One such company, called California Cultured, hopes to one day grow real cacao indoors.

    In addition, scientists are busy studying cacao plants. They’re working on new ways to make them resistant to droughts and disease.

    All these people have the same important goal: saving sweet, sweet chocolate from reaching a bitter end.