Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices

Local chocolate shops are left with a bitter taste as cocoa prices hit an all-time high earlier this week.

Weather is a factor in the surging prices — rising temperatures are damaging the crop in West Africa which is where most of the global supply comes from.

Vivian Viteri is the owner of the Maitland Chocolate Factory. She said they are feeling the impacts of the prices of cocoa nearly doubling since the beginning of this year.

“We actually have received some emails from our vendors saying that they’re going to raise their prices after Easter,” Viteri said. “So for Mother’s Day, I’m going to see how their prices are. So dependent on that. I have to raise my prices and then I haven’t done that yet, but I will do it in the future, you know, because we have to pay for the bags, the ribbons, the chocolate and employees. It’s kind of hard for us as a small business.”

[Watch all episodes of Florida Foodie]

Viteri said she does not want to raise their prices, but she’s afraid she’ll have to.

“I don’t like that honestly because I want my customers to come to this store to get their bunnies because these are made homemade here in this store,” Viteri said.

According to the National Retail Federation, consumers are expected to spend $3.1 billion on Easter candy this year compared to $3.3 billion last year.

Bethany Wright was in the shop on Wednesday picking up Easter candy for her kids. She said the store is a Maitland staple.

“I just know that I’m supporting a local business and I love Maitland so much and I always just try to think of ways that I can help support the small businesses here,” Wright said.

Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below: