(Jan 14): Cocoa processing remains under pressure around the world, highlighting continued demand destruction and struggles for the chocolate industry in the wake of record prices a year ago. That would be the lowest for a fourth quarter in 11 years. The price shock prompted consumers to cut back on chocolate and candy makers changed recipes to use cheaper substitutes and include more fillers like nuts. Producers and analysts expect cheaper cocoa to only start feeding through to supermarkets in the second half of this year. European cocoa processing margins fell below break-even levels in August and then reached the lowest on record in December, according to data from KnowledgeCharts, a unit of Commodity Risk Analysis.

Source: The Edge Markets January 14, 2026 05:05 UTC