Cocoa in Crisis
If you’ve been trying to buy cocoa powder recently and found the shelves empty, you’re not imagining it. There is a serious global cocoa shortage right now, and the organic Fairtrade cocoa that meets the standards we believe in simply isn’t available.
Cocoa-growing regions have been hit hard by climate disruption, crop disease and deep-rooted inequalities in farming systems. Yields are down. Demand is high. Prices have reached levels the industry hasn’t seen before.
Even conventional cocoa is now difficult and expensive to source. But organic Fairtrade cocoa, which is the only kind our suppliers at Suma will sell, is even harder to come by. At the moment, there just isn’t enough of it available, at any price. Buyers are being told that meaningful supply may not return until mid-2026.
When ingredients get scarce, some brands quietly lower standards. They switch away from Fairtrade, reformulate with cheaper fats like palm oil, shrink the product and keep the price high.
The risks of environmental harm, unsafe working conditions and forced labour in cocoa supply chains are very real. That’s exactly why organic and Fairtrade certification matter. Rather than sell something that doesn’t meet their standards, they’ve chosen to pause sales and be honest about it. No quiet substitutions. No skimpflation. Just transparency.
This isn’t just affecting Suma. The whole chocolate industry is under pressure. You may have noticed shrinking bars, ingredient changes, or products that technically aren’t even “chocolate” anymore. These are all signs of the same global cocoa crisis.
For me, this is another reminder of how fragile our food system is. Ethical and sustainable food doesn’t always mean everything is available all of the time, especially as the climate crisis continues to put pressure on global supply chains.
Thanks to Suma for being upfront about it, and thanks to everyone who continues to choose food with integrity, even when it’s inconvenient.
Deri Reed x
Information source from our friends at Suma Wholefoods
