The sweet bustle of the holiday season is Cathleen Blagay’s speciality.
Blagay is the owner of Thornebrook Chocolates, a confectionary shop at 2441 NW 43rd St. in Gainesville. The chocolate enthusiast welcomes the Valentine’s season, serving dozens of customers her delicacies every day.
Romance is back in season, but it’s pairing sweets with sour prices. Blagay has noticed chocolate costs are reaching higher numbers.
“It is skyrocketing,” Blagay said.
Blagay received an email from one of her chocolate retailers, which read chocolate prices have increased by 130%.
The reasons can vary, said Malek Hammami, a University of Florida professor specializing in agricultural economics. He believes it begins with the production process.
“If there is no big production here it means that there is a big reliance on the international market,” Hammami said. “It will rely on delivery times [and] it relies on weather at the location of production.”
The International Cocoa Organization concluded high cocoa costs are from Africa’s dry weather conditions, which usually run till March, according to a December 2024 report. Ivory Coast and Ghana are the world’s leading exporter of cacao beans. The report also said chocolate manufacturers may end up raising prices for their products to keep up with higher production costs.
But despite those bitter costs, the sweet tooth prevails.
“The nice thing about being in this business is you don't have to buy a lot of it to enjoy it,” Blagay said. “It’s still an affordable luxury.”