Monday, 19 October 2026

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Grocery & Prices

US retail chocolate prices rise 14 percent ahead of Valentine Day

Chocolate prices in the United States increased significantly early in 2026 due to West African cocoa supply shortages.

FTMQ Food, written by our newsroom19 October 2026 at 01:040 views

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Chocolate prices in retail stores rose 14.4 percent during the first weeks of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, ABC News reported. The price increases occurred ahead of Valentine Day, which takes place annually on February 14. [1][2]

Data provided to ABC News by the market intelligence firm Datasembly showed that the rate of chocolate price inflation almost doubled compared with the start of 2025. Shoppers faced notable price increases in both grocery and candy store aisles. [1]

According to analysts interviewed by ABC News, the rapid price increases stemmed from a severe cocoa shortage in West Africa. The region accounts for approximately 70 percent of global cocoa production, but crops have been severely impacted by adverse weather conditions and widespread plant disease. [1]

The shortage of raw cocoa has significantly driven up input costs for chocolate manufacturers, ABC News reported. Manufacturers passed these higher supply chain costs directly to retailers and consumers through elevated price tags. [1]

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In short

US retail chocolate prices rose 14.4 percent in early 2026 compared to the previous year.
Data from intelligence firm Datasembly showed chocolate price inflation nearly doubled its early 2025 rate.
West Africa produces about 70 percent of the world cocoa supply.
Crop disease and adverse weather caused a major cocoa shortage in West Africa.

Sources

Every paragraph above points to the numbered items it rests on. Read the originals here.

[1]Valentine's Day shoppers face soaring chocolate prices - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and VideosGoogle News, 1d ago (the report this story comes from)

Background

[2]Valentine's Day on Grokipedia

Our newsroom writes these reports with the help of software, from the 2 sources listed and nothing else, and checks them against those sources. Facts can still be wrong or move on; the originals are the record. Spotted a mistake? Write to daniel@monsterkong.com.

Earlier reports of ours on the same people and subjects.

Colombian beef prices increased over fourteen percent in SeptemberGrocery & Prices, 2d ago

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