Will We Run Out Of Chocolate? The Problem With Cocoa & Sustainable Alternatives

For many of us, chocolate is the ultimate comfort food. Ninety-five percent of British people regularly eat chocolate, and 80 percent of the population indulges in it once or more every week. High-cocoa blends, in particular, are packed with antioxidants and nutrients like copper and iron, and eating chocolate may even improve your mood and boost brain function.

However, the ubiquitousness of chocolate belies an industry dependent on climate-vulnerable trees, opaque supply chains, and sometimes unsustainable production. In recent years, the industry has struggled to keep up with demand, leading experts to wonder if the world’s overwhelming desire for chocolate will be too much for producers to handle.

As a result, an increasing number of scientists and manufacturers have begun to research alternatives, while others look for new ways to minimize waste and maximize output within traditional cocoa production. But the industry’s hardships are multiplying, and the cost of cocoa is still increasing, so some experts are now wondering: will we run out of chocolate?

Here’s everything you need to know about the problems with cocoa, how people are working to save it, and whether a chocolate-free future is really on the horizon.

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