Cocoa Processing at Lowest Since 2020 as Chocolatiers Struggle
- Fourth quarter Europe bean grindings down 5.4% from prior year
- Decline is among the strongest cues yet of weakening demand
Handmade chocolates in Paris.
Photographer: Cyril Marcilhacy/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Cocoa grindings in Europe and Asia fell in the last three months of 2024, the strongest signal yet that chocolate makers are struggling with record prices and low inventories.
Figures released on Thursday showed that bean processing dropped by 5.4% in Europe and edged lower by 0.5% in Asia from a year earlier. Fourth-quarter grindings in both regions were the lowest since 2020, when the Covid-19 lockdowns and trade disruptions hit the chocolate business.