Whittaker’s has announced changes to its famous chocolate as global cocoa shortages continue to impact the industry.

The company confirmed today it will be broadening its cocoa sources, supplementing its beans from Ghana (which had been Whittaker’s sole source) with those from other African countries.

“We wanted to be upfront with Whittaker’s Chocolate Lovers about why we need to have a more diverse cocoa supply chain,” explained co-chief operating officer Matt Whittaker.

“The reality is that the global cocoa shortage looks set to continue, which is also unfortunately likely to have ongoing impacts on the price of all chocolate into the future.”

The decision was made to ensure it could continue making its chocolate in New Zealand, the company told the Herald.

The chocolate industry here and around the world has had a challenging year. 2024 has seen record global prices for cocoa beans, and growers in Ghana have experienced poor harvests and the country is also facing economic challenges.

These supply challenges have led Whittaker’s to expand its sourcing, and it had been working “for some time” on finding new suppliers for cocoa beans.

It told the Herald that beans would be sourced from a “range of countries” including Uganda and Cote d’Ivoire, depending on availability.

The company had “identified additional sources of cocoa bean supply in Africa that meet our stringent ethical standards” said Whittaker.

These include its commitment to only using fully traceable and 100% Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa beans

These will be blended with Ghanaian beans, which would remain the main variety in order to “maintain the same taste and quality” that customers expected of the brand’s chocolate.

Whittaker’s told the Herald it wasn’t able to give an exact percentage.

“We can’t be specific about the ratio of other beans used as it may vary based on the specific origin of the supplementary cocoa beans we are using (given that cocoa beans do have slightly distinctive flavours based on origin) and supply considerations.”

The new blends would be hitting New Zealand shelves later this year.

“We anticipate they will start appearing in-store from early December, depending on when retailers are restocking.”

Shoppers will notice a change to the chocolate packaging, with Ghana no longer referenced on the back of each block.

“We are progressively updating all our packaging, with the transition occurring from mid-November to around mid-March.”

Customers were informed today via the company’s social media channels, with the response mostly favourable.

Whittaker’s has been frank that the move is a direct response to the global cocoa shortage.

Cocoa beans drying on raised beds at a cocoa co-operative in Ghana.

Cocoa growers in Africa have been affected by weather, which has seen their harvests down 40% on 2023.

Ghana has had poor yields in recent years. Last month Reuters reported that the country had lost 160,000 tonnes of coca due to smuggling – a third of its harvest. An anti-smuggling taskforce had been established, and farmgate prices for beans had risen 45% in an effort to prevent the practice.

Cocoa prices have made headlines this year. Global cocoa prices were up 150% by August, triple what they’d been in 2022.

It’s also made a dent in consumer’s wallets. In September, with the average 250g block of chocolate was up 20% and shoppers were buying less of it, RNZ reported.

Chocolate isn’t the only category where costs were going up.

Coffee and olives have also seen increases; global prices for coffee beans have reached record highs, while a global shortage of olive oil has seen prices through the roof in New Zealand.

They’ve contributed to the rising cost of groceries, The Herald’s Liam Dann explains, with “soaring” chocolate and olive oil prices contributing to New Zealand’s annual food price inflation.

While Kiwi shoppers reconsider what’s going into their weekly shop, local businesses have also looked to absorb rising prices.

Some in the industry think these costs should be passed on to consumers, with Flight Coffee managing director Richard Corney telling Azaria Howell that Kiwis should be paying more for their coffee.

Whittaker’s put its prices up May, the third rise in two years.

Last month New Zealand shoppers learned Whittaker’s would no longer be producing its Miraka Kirīmi (creamy milk) block.

Another Kiwi classic, the chocolate fish, is also facing extinction. In June Cadbury - which closed its Dunedin factory in 2017 - announced it was ceasing production on its 20g variety.

Emma Gleason is the Herald’s lifestyle and entertainment deputy editor. Based in Auckland, she covers culture, fashion and media.