A business has just been hit with a 20 per cent jump in the cost of chocolate as global cocoa prices soar.
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Tash Topschij from Baba Lila Handmade Chocolates says the chocolate price spike in the past fortnight is on top of earlier small price jumps.
Miss Topschij buys chocolate in bulk to coat truffles to make handmade sweet treats following a family recipe.
Chocolate is the main ingredient in the product range created at Bago Maze and Winery.
The price of cocoa and sugar is likely to remain high in coming months, according to food and agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank.
RaboResearch associate analyst Pia Piggott said global cocoa prices had been on an "upward trajectory" since September 2022, as the world headed into the potential third year of a cocoa supply deficit.
Baba Lila Handmade Chocolates is also facing cost escalations in other areas including ingredients and more broadly, labels and packaging.
"I've been just wearing the costs," Miss Topschij said.
Miss Topschij is working solo to help manage costs.
The global chocolate price comes at a time when demand has dropped for the handmade chocolates as customers cut back their spending amid the cost of living pressures.
Miss Topschij says she feels like she "just needs to weather the storm".
"Watching other small businesses in our area - quite well established businesses - close down, you can't help but feel a bit of fear around that," she said.
Miss Topschij stressed the importance of supporting local businesses.
She said people needed to be mindful that when they spent money at local businesses they were also supporting the greater region and its economy.
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Lisa Tisdell
I'm a Port Macquarie News journalist, keen traveller, angler and cricket fan.
I'm a Port Macquarie News journalist, keen traveller, angler and cricket fan.
