Chocolate Demand Worsens Even as Cocoa’s Historic Rally Fades

The slowdown at cocoa factories across the world is continuing to deepen, indicating that the impact of last year’s scorching price rally is still looming over processors’ profits and the cost of sweet treats isn’t likely to see a quick reprieve.

Cocoa processing in top consumer Europe likely fell to the lowest level for the third quarter in at least a decade, according to an average of 11 analysts and traders surveyed by Bloomberg.