
by Marion Nestle
Mar
5
2026
Keeping up with chocolate; the crisis and what to do about it
The chocolate industry, it appears, is in crisis. Here’s my collection of recent items on the topic.
Trends
- The future of chocolate: An era of bold innovation and ultra indulgence: Chocolate is undergoing a dramatic transformation. From cutting‑edge cocoa‑free innovation to the rise of premium indulgence, discover how makers and brands are reinventing the world’s favourite treat… Read more
- 5 trends powering chocolate’s $245bn boom: Trends shaping the future of chocolate and the opportunities they create for the confectionery industry… Read more
- Mars, Mondelēz, Nestlé, Hershey, and Lindt team up to transform future of cocoa: The world’s biggest chocolate makers are working together to futureproof cocoa and support growers… Read more
Challenges
- Chocolate isn’t doomed, but it’s changing fast: It may be the end of chocolate as we know it… Read more
- Cocoa prices collapse following record highs: Cocoa prices plunge to two‑year low as surpluses reshape the market… Read more
- Are falling cocoa prices giving an edge to small choc players? Key players in chocolate already have the year’s cocoa supply locked in. But smaller players may not… Read more
- Nestlé strips ‘chocolate’ from iconic bars as cocoa costs soar: Rising cocoa costs are forcing confectionery giants to rethink recipes and product labelling… Read more
- Cocoa, coffee, and wine won’t survive with climate cooling alone: Climate cooling isn’t enough to save cocoa, wine, and coffee – industry needs to do more to protect these crops for the future… Read more
- Is Hershey in trouble? Profits plummeting and ingredients under fire: Hershey’s rocky start to 2026 has raised questions about its long‑term direction… Read more
Addressing the crisis
- Alternative cocoa: Ways confectionery’s most under-threat ingredient is being replaced: Chocolate makers has been significantly impacted by the cocoa crisis. Ingredient innovation offers a solution… Read more
- The ‘untapped potential’ of functional chocolate: Functional chocolate is stepping into the spotlight. Discover the ingredients, trends and early innovators reshaping the future of indulgence… Read more
- Can Chocolate Help With Asthma? Hemorrhoids? Feminine Hygiene? December 16 is National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day, which is either a celebration of culinary creativity or an excuse to use juvenile humor. Either way, chocolate has a long history of being marketed as a cure for just about everything. Let’s see what it can actually do—and what it absolutely can’t.

