Tariffs and Pricing Volatility in the Cocoa Industry

With the recent news coverage and broader discussion around tariffs along with cocoa prices, it's our nature to be transparent and share the impacts of these changes with our customers.

Are Tariffs Affecting Askinosie Chocolate? 
The original 10% tariffs on imported cocoa are definitely not helpful, but they’re not devastating either. They add cost, yes—but they’re manageable.

More so than tariffs, the volatility of cocoa bean prices over the last 18 months has been even more challenging. That’s where the real pressure has been felt across our supply chain. Prices have spiked dramatically, and there’s been a lot of uncertainty globally.

How is Askinosie Chocolate Different?
We don’t rely on a middleman or brokers to navigate these challenges. We’ve been able to talk directly with our farmer partners, sometimes relationships that go back 15+ years. That level of trust has allowed us to work through some thorny issues with transparency, patience and mutual respect.

Is it messy sometimes? Absolutely. But those long-term relationships give us grace for each other. And every challenge becomes a new opportunity to practice humility in action, something that’s rare in this business.

What Does This Mean For Us?
We’re doing everything we can to avoid passing these increases on to our customers. If prices do shift, it won’t be a knee-jerk reaction. Any changes will be considered, transparent and grounded in the same values we’ve always operated with.

Thank you, as always, for your support of our small business!