Hershey Ups Chocolate Prices for Retail Customers

Brad Matthews | July 24, 2025

(The Washington Times) — Candy and snack giant Hershey Co. is increasing the prices of its products due to issues with the cocoa supply.

A Hershey spokesperson told The Washington Times that 75% of the company’s candy will still cost less than $4 for consumers.

The Wall Street Journal reported that retail customers will see a 13% to 20% price increase.

On an earnings call in May, Hershey CEO Michele Buck said that “you will see pricing go up in Q2 and Q3,” according to a transcript from the financial news site Seeking Alpha.

“This change is not related to tariffs or trade policies. It reflects the reality of rising ingredient costs, including the unprecedented cost of cocoa,” a Hershey spokesperson told The Times.

Cocoa prices have fallen from $12,100 for a metric ton in December, but this week’s price of $8,100 is still well above past prices, according to The Journal.

Disease and bad weather have taken a toll on the crop produced in countries like Ghana and the Ivory Coast.

“The long dry season has been harsh on trees, and there’s very little we can do on the farms until we have good rains. This kind of weather remains the biggest problem. But even when the rain falls, output will be less,” Ivorian farmer Yabao Madi told Bloomberg in April.

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