Cocoa Processing price spiral without compromising on How to combat the cocoa quality
Cocoa shortages have seen cocoa butter prices spiral out of control in recent times. Seyma Özonuk, Palsgaard’s Application Manager Team Lead for Confectionery & Industrial Bakery, explains how AMP and PGPR can provide a solution.
C
hocolate manufacturers are currently facing a huge challenge. A combination of bad weather and crop disease in West Africa has led to poor cocoa harvests, causing supply shortages
and skyrocketing prices.
The issue affects not only cocoa but cocoa butter, which was already the most expensive part of chocolate production. Cocoa butter plays a crucial role in
14 Kennedy’s Confection April 2024
chocolate. It is a source of fat that helps to give chocolate its smooth, creamy texture and characteristic mouthfeel. With the crop shortages now driving prices higher than ever, chocolate manufacturers are having to contend with significantly reduced profit margins. They do have the option to pass the cost increases on to consumers, but doing so risks diminishing demand for their products. To maintain their competitive edge and protect profits, manufacturers need
solutions that can reduce raw material costs without compromising on quality.
The importance of flow One of cocoa butter’s key benefits is its influence on chocolate’s flow behaviour – also known as rheology – during production. By understanding how chocolate flows and deforms under pressure, manufacturers can gain control over smoothness and viscosity and create a satisfying final product. Many of the ingredients used in chocolate can
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