High cocoa prices have made the cost of Valentine's Day chocolates more bittersweet this year. Why it matters: Chocolate treats are expected to increase 10 to 20% for the holiday and throughout 2025,

With the price of cocoa beans setting unprecedented records on the commodities market, it will certainly turn the gift of love into a bigger financial commitment than it once was. Turns out that if love is reputed to be eternal, a low price for cocoa, the essential ingredient in chocolate, is not.

Rising cocoa prices, driven by climate change, are reshaping Valentine’s Day chocolates. Extreme heat and erratic rainfall in West Africa are reducing cocoa yields, leading to higher costs and recipe changes.