When Chocolate Is No Longer as Sweet: Europe Faces a Cocoa Crisis from Climate Change
The chocolate we know and love may no longer be a stable delight. The chocolate industry in Europe is now facing multiple crises due to climate change. Key raw materials like cocoa and sugar are becoming more expensive and harder to produce. While the full impact hasn’t yet hit consumers, manufacturers and farmers are already warning that this is “a crisis happening now.”
A recent report from Net Zero Trade reveals that two major underlying factors are climate change and loss of biodiversity, which are worsening the crisis—especially in countries that supply Europe with raw ingredients. More than two-thirds of essential ingredients used in chocolate production—such as cocoa, coffee, soybeans, rice, wheat, and corn—come from countries with low to moderate capacity to handle climate change. West African countries, which are major cocoa producers, are currently facing drought, fluctuating temperatures, and biodiversity decline. Crops that were once easy to grow are becoming increasingly difficult to cultivate each year.
Take cocoa, for example—the key ingredient in chocolate. Europe does not have enough suitable land to grow cocoa domestically and relies heavily on imports from regions highly vulnerable to climate variability. As global temperatures continue to rise, countries suitable for growing cocoa are becoming rarer, which directly impacts the industry’s supply chain.
Another contributing factor is the soaring price of sugar, driven by extreme weather—such as excessive rainfall in some areas and prolonged drought in others—which has significantly reduced sugar yields and unavoidably increased production costs for chocolate manufacturers.
The report also highlights the need for Europe’s food industry to invest in long-term solutions to build resilience. This includes supporting cocoa-producing countries in adapting to climate change, investing in climate-resilient crop varieties, and restoring biodiversity in agricultural areas.
Although chocolate hasn’t disappeared from store shelves yet, these issues make it clear that even our favorite sweets aren’t immune to the effects of global warming. Without serious adaptation, this crisis could permanently change the taste of chocolate.
Reference
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