Customer info 2025
The effects of the global cocoa crisis continue to affect us – as a smaller company – and are forcing us to make adjustments to our product range.
From July 2025, we will change the weight of some products and make moderate price adjustments.
What may initially feel like a ‘cheat pack’ has legitimate reasons, which we would like to explain to you openly and comprehensibly. We sincerely thank you for your understanding!
The cocoa crisis affects the chocolate shelves
For over a year now, the world has been in the midst of an unprecedented cocoa crisis – we have reported on this in detail. As a result of climate change, fatal crop failures and tree losses in West Africa, along with many other risk factors, caused the price of cocoa to finally explode at the beginning of 2024. At peak times, six times the world market price had to be paid for a tonne of raw cocoa. Despite a slight easing of the situation, it is more than clear that this will also change prices on chocolate shelves sooner or later. Worldwide.
As a medium-sized, family-run organic company, we quickly realised the consequences of the enormous increase in raw material prices and had to raise our prices (which have always been very customer-friendly) several times. Such steps are of course no fun and do not serve our own enrichment – but at a certain point there is unfortunately no alternative.
High-quality organic cocoa is becoming increasingly rare
Unfortunately, there have been developments in dealing with the crisis that have created completely new problems, especially for the organic sector. Increased demand has led to a drop in cocoa quality, as unripe or damaged fruit is being harvested, pesticides are being used and subsequent processing steps are no longer being carried out correctly. As a result, our quality assurance department regularly has to reject substandard deliveries. Unfortunately, this is still not enough: certified organic cocoa is bought up by large corporations and blended with conventional beans in order to guarantee the supply capability of large and popular chocolate brands. This is why, in addition to the general cocoa crisis, we are now also talking about an acute availability crisis for organic cocoa on an unprecedented scale.
An inevitable step
What measures can we take to counter these problems? We are particularly affected by the current developments with our varieties with a high cocoa content. We have therefore carefully considered all possible solutions to the problem.
We do not want to impose a further significant price increase on you or our retail partners. However, sacrificing quality, sustainability and taste in favour of a better price is also absolutely out of the question for us.
We have therefore decided to reduce the weight of those products for which it is possible.
The switch from 100 g to 80 g affects 10 products from the tablet range. In addition, our three couverture varieties will be reduced from 200 g to 150 g.
This measure will enable us to maintain the price you are accustomed to – while maintaining the same high quality.
The graphic shows which varieties are affected.
There are no changes to any other products.
Our ‘Fine Dark Orange’ is the flavour affected by most of the changes. It will now be available in a more elegant folding carton format. The weight will be reduced from 100 g to 80 g – with a slight increase in price. Unfortunately, this variety was no longer profitable in the past – it was actually on the verge of being discontinued. And that as a long-standing classic in the range and a variety from the very beginning. We hope that lovers of ‘Fine Dark Orange’ will understand our decision. The variety will definitely benefit from the more elegant format and flatter shape.