From bean to bunny: Europe's Easter chocolate crisis
Cocoa prices skyrocketed earlier this year to over $10,000 (€9,211) per metric ton—triple last year's price—due to crop failures in West Africa. This surge is transforming Europe's cherished Easter chocolate traditions. While prices have softened in the last few months, coming back in line with levels seen this time last year, they remain significantly above the long-term average, putting continued pressure on chocolate manufacturers.
Cocoa prices triple
Cocoa hit over $10,000 per metric ton in 2025 — three times last year's price — due to crop failures in West Africa.
Easter chocolate under pressure
Despite spending €24.6m on Easter eggs in Ireland last year, consumers now face up to 30% price hikes on seasonal treats.
Impact on producers
European manufacturers process 40% of the world’s cocoa — large brands shrink sizes or cocoa content, while smaller chocolatiers struggle to stay afloat.
Global chain, local impact
From African farms to European homes, the crisis shows how climate and disease in one region can ripple through global supply chains and holiday traditions.
Last year more than a third of Irish consumers bought at least one egg, with consumers spending an impressive €24.6m on Easter Eggs —a clear indication that Easter chocolate traditions continue to hold cultural importance even amid price pressures.
European manufacturers, processing 40% of the world's cocoa, face difficult choices. Major brands like Lindt and Nestlé have increased prices or reduced product sizes, while small artisanal chocolatiers struggle even more with the cost pressure. In some instances larger brands have reduced the amount of coco in their products to try controlling spiralling costs.
Seasonal chocolate eggs and bunnies, central to European celebrations, now cost up to 30% more than last year, with one Belgium chocolatier commented that "We've never seen anything like this," in response to the cost of coco. Consumers aren't abandoning traditions entirely, but many are becoming more selective—purchasing fewer premium items or exploring alternatives.
The ripple effects extend beyond chocolate itself to bakeries, ice cream shops, and even tourism in chocolate-famous regions. Market analysts predict continued volatility throughout 2025, at the very least, with recovery dependent on improved harvests in cocoa-producing regions, which looks unlikely in the near term, due to disease pressures and effects of ever more unpredictable weather patterns taking their toll.
This cocoa crisis highlights the vulnerability of global supply chains, demonstrating how agricultural conditions in West Africa directly impact cultural traditions thousands of miles away in European homes during their most chocolate-intensive holiday season.
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