Cocoa Market Turbulence Drives Chocolate Makers to Seek Alternatives
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 22 2025
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Should l Buy MDLZ?
Source: Newsfilter
- Market Turbulence: Poor agricultural conditions in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire have led to a decline in cocoa yields, causing cocoa futures to plummet over 50% in 2025, which poses significant cost pressures for chocolate manufacturers and jeopardizes their financial targets.
- Price Surge: Data from Circana and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that chocolate prices surged by 30% in the year ending October, reflecting the impact of market volatility on consumer goods.
- Rise of Alternatives: Massimo Sabatini, CEO of Italian startup Foreverland, noted that a growing number of international confectioners are shifting towards cocoa-free alternatives, suggesting that
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Analyst Views on MDLZ
Wall Street analysts forecast MDLZ stock price to rise
18 Analyst Rating
13 Buy
5 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 57.640
Low
62.00
Averages
66.82
High
84.00
Current: 57.640
Low
62.00
Averages
66.82
High
84.00
About MDLZ
Mondelez International, Inc. is a snack company. The Company’s core business is making and selling chocolate, biscuits and baked snacks. The Company also has additional businesses in adjacent, locally relevant categories including gum and candy, cheese and grocery and powdered beverages. Its portfolio includes global and local brands such as Oreo, Ritz, LU, Clif Bar and Tate’s Bake Shop biscuits and baked snacks, as well as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolate. The Company’s segments include Latin America, AMEA, Europe and North America. It sells its products in over 150 countries and has operations in approximately 80 countries, including 147 principal manufacturing and processing facilities across 46 countries. It sells its products to supermarket chains, wholesalers, supercenters, club stores, mass merchandisers, distributors, convenience stores, gasoline stations, drug stores, value stores and other retail food outlets.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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