Passport Sweets, an international candy store located at 100 St. George street in St. Augustine Fla. | Kaia Wright, Jacksonville Today
Published on July 8, 2025 at 3:57 pm
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As demand for chocolate rises and global cocoa yields remains low, many favorite treats in Northeast Florida from candy to baked goods are becoming more expensive and harder to source.
Over the past few years, global cocoa supply has taken a hit due to climate factors such as weather and disease.
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The squeeze is starting to hit home at local chocolate shops and candies stores in the region. One shop in particular, Passport Sweets of St. Augustine, is starting to see the effects of rising prices on some of their most popular goods, especially chocolate.
One of the best selling items at owner Rolf Vonderheide’s international candy store is the Milka bar. As prices have risen in recent months, so have the prices across his inventory, including Milka.
The price recently jumped from $3.29 to $3.99 – a change Vonderheide attributes to rising cocoa costs and a global shortage. He used to be able to receive Milka for around $1.39 to $1.66 per bar, that cost has risen to $2.10 per bar, a 20-40% increase.
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While 2025 hasn’t seen a monumental spike in consumer prices for candy yet, the industry is beginning to experience the early effects of projected price hikes entering the later half of the year.
“Here we are in July and prices are starting to go up. Just in time for Christmas prices will rise,” Vonderheide tells Jacksonville Today.
Cocoa can only be grown in tropical climates and in very few locations. West Africa in particular produces more than 70% of the world’s total cocoa supply, according to David Branch at Wells Fargo’s Agri-Food Institute.
Cocoa suppliers have not reported yields at the level seen in past years, which has driven a projected spike in pricing in 2025.
Since 2024, cocoa prices have seen a steady rise, affecting not only the global supply chain but also local businesses. Chocolatiers, candy stores, bakeries and coffee shops are having a hard time getting their hands on cocoa, and at a much higher price.
Though price hikes are starting to affect small businesses, not all sweets are experiencing the same level in increases.
“British goods are rising 10% across the board,” Vonderheide says, though he’s unsure if that price increase is due to global shortages or recent tariff hits.
Vonderheide noted that as a retail candy store, he does not face the same price hikes as others in the industry, especially those buying cocoa in bulk. That effect is felt the hardest by chocolate shops and bakeries which are ordering cocoa at a much larger scale and not for single serve treats.
Makenu Chocolate located in Atlantic Beach, has also faced challenges with the recent price increases.
“Our most recent order faced a 10-15% increase per kilo,” Owner Jess Diebel said.
Many small businesses are exploring ways to keep costs down for consumers. However, as the cocoa shortage continues and demand remains, the only option more many businesses is to increase prices.
“We’re always looking at total cost and we’re seeing a rise,” Diebel tells Jacksonville Today.
Rising prices my influence consumers’ habits, but Vonderheide said shoppers are still coming, particularly for specialty chocolates where a higher price is expected.
“People love chocolate,” Vonderheide says.
