Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Manufacturers warn that the world may soon run out of chocolate
theweek.com ^ | 11/17/2014 | Catherine Garcia

Posted on 11/17/2014 9:00:07 AM PST by Red Badger

Start hoarding those Hershey's Kisses and stockpile your Snickers: The world could soon experience a chocolate shortage.

Mars Inc. and Barry Callebaut, two of the world's largest chocolate makers, say that's the path we're headed down. They cite a perfect storm of factors: Less cocoa is being produced as more and more people are devouring chocolate.

In 2013, consumers ate about 70,000 metric tons more cocoa than was produced, The Washington Post reports, and that deficit could go up to 1 million metric tons by 2020. The Ivory Coast and Ghana produce more than 70 percent of the world's cacao beans, and both countries are experiencing dry weather that limits growth. To make things worse, a fungal disease called frosty pod has destroyed 30 to 40 percent of global cocoa production.

The world's appetite for chocolate isn't going away, and some countries, like China, are starting to consume more and more of the sweet treat. Dark chocolate is also rising in popularity, and that takes much more cocoa to create. Although researchers are trying to create trees that can produce more cacao beans than traditional trees, there's one catch: Chocolate made through this process loses its delicious taste. The only solution is to buy in bulk now and hide your stash where no one can find it. - - Catherine Garcia


TOPICS: Agriculture; Business/Economy; Food
KEYWORDS: chocolate
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-73 next last

1 posted on 11/17/2014 9:00:07 AM PST by Red Badger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

70 inch TV’s here I come.....


2 posted on 11/17/2014 9:00:55 AM PST by Dallas59
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Again? How many times are they going to run this scare up the flag pole?


3 posted on 11/17/2014 9:01:16 AM PST by HiJinx (Time to read "EFAD" once again...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Not a bit of truth to this story....S. America has lots....and ya dont have to deal with euros/africans..BONUS!


4 posted on 11/17/2014 9:01:51 AM PST by rrrod (at home in Medellin Colombia)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

5 posted on 11/17/2014 9:02:34 AM PST by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HiJinx

Till the Stock prices go up ..................then SELL!....................


6 posted on 11/17/2014 9:03:01 AM PST by Red Badger (If you compromise with evil, you just get more evil..........................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: rrrod

Maybe we can trade:

If the illegals each bring a few kgs of chocolate..............


7 posted on 11/17/2014 9:04:05 AM PST by Red Badger (If you compromise with evil, you just get more evil..........................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
In 2013, consumers ate about 70,000 metric tons more cocoa than was produced.

Does this make sense?

8 posted on 11/17/2014 9:04:58 AM PST by Cowboy Bob (They are called "Liberals" because the word "parasite" was already taken.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Running out and a shortage are two different things. I love chocolate but a shortage won’t necessarily cause me to panic.


9 posted on 11/17/2014 9:05:31 AM PST by rfreedom4u (Do you know who Barry Soetoro is?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

LOL.....when they get to the border..steal the cacoa and send them back to mexico!!!


10 posted on 11/17/2014 9:08:13 AM PST by rrrod (at home in Medellin Colombia)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: rfreedom4u

My thought as well. If what they’re saying is true, we’re facing price escalations because more people want the same mount of something, but not a complete lack of chocolate. Yet another headline full of ignorance when it comes to basic (as in, grade school level!) economics.


11 posted on 11/17/2014 9:08:46 AM PST by Amity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

I’ve heard this one many times before. So far, it’s never panned out.

And the problem is, if you stock up on chocolate, it’s EXTREMELY difficult to refrain from eating it.


12 posted on 11/17/2014 9:09:11 AM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cowboy Bob

They probably have stored any surpluses from past years and that 70 tons probably ate into that surplus.

My guess is that this is largely a canard designed to create an artificial shortage so that prices can be raised.


13 posted on 11/17/2014 9:09:37 AM PST by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death cults)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

In free markets, the supply and demand equation prevents you from running out of anything unless it is no longer produced at all.

We’ll be fine.


14 posted on 11/17/2014 9:09:56 AM PST by cuban leaf (The US will not survive the obama presidency. The world may not either.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Chocolate Preppers.


15 posted on 11/17/2014 9:10:41 AM PST by Pearls Before Swine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rfreedom4u

16 posted on 11/17/2014 9:10:44 AM PST by Carpe Cerevisi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger; FReepers; FRiends; Patriots



Give a hand


17 posted on 11/17/2014 9:10:59 AM PST by Lady Jag (Tolerance and apathy are the last virtues of a dying society)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Since “discovering” Lindt chocolate bars in a Winter Park candy shop moons ago, I have consistently been amazed at how they can be bought at normal stores for around $2.50 and deliver WORLD CLASS quality year in and out.

Conversely, several fancy chocolatiers have disappointed with their stale, extremely overpriced chocolate (Godiva and Neuhaus, I’m talking to YOU). Have to give props, though, to my latest discovery...Canada’s Roger’s Chocolate. Their Empress Squares and Victoria Cremes are superb.

(I am in complete denial re: the subject of this thread, lol. Does. Not. Compute.)


18 posted on 11/17/2014 9:11:32 AM PST by avenir (I'm pessimistic about man, but I'm optimistic about GOD!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

There’s plenty of land in Soutb American countries.

They should start planting.


19 posted on 11/17/2014 9:12:50 AM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
Manufacturers warn that the world may soon run out of chocolate

Rosie O'Donnell must be on another binge.

20 posted on 11/17/2014 9:13:03 AM PST by GreenHornet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-73 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson