The Global Cocoa Butter Shortage: What It Means for Beauty and Chocolate Lovers

Cocoa butter—a creamy, nutrient-rich fat extracted from cocoa beans—is a staple in two major industries: chocolate and cosmetics. It’s what gives chocolate its smooth texture and skincare products their luxurious hydration. But in 2025, a growing concern is shaking both sectors: a global cocoa butter shortage.

What’s Causing the Cocoa Butter Shortage?

1. Climate Change and Poor Harvests

Cocoa trees are highly sensitive to climate conditions. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and prolonged dry spells—particularly in top cocoa-producing countries like Ivory Coast and Ghana—have severely impacted cocoa yields. When bean supply drops, cocoa butter becomes scarce.

2. Surging Demand

Cocoa butter demand isn’t slowing down. From premium chocolates to natural beauty products, consumers are seeking high-quality, sustainable ingredients—putting pressure on already limited supplies. Vegan and clean beauty movements have also increased the demand for plant-based fats like cocoa butter.

3. Supply Chain Disruptions

Transport issues, political instability, and global economic pressures have disrupted the flow of cocoa products. Even when beans are available, getting them processed and shipped has become more difficult and expensive.

How This Impacts the Chocolate Industry

Chocolate manufacturers are being hit hard. Cocoa butter is essential to achieving the right texture, snap, and mouthfeel in chocolate. With prices rising and supply tightening, companies may be forced to:

• Increase prices on chocolate products
• Reduce cocoa content or reformulate with alternatives
• Limit product variety or seasonal releases

Luxury and craft chocolate brands are particularly vulnerable, as they rely heavily on high-quality cocoa butter for taste and consistency.

How It Affects the Beauty Industry

Cocoa butter is a hero ingredient in countless moisturizers, lip balms, lotions and stretch mark creams. Its rich emollient properties and natural antioxidants make it a favorite in natural and clean beauty lines. With the shortage:

• Prices for cocoa butter-based cosmetics have risen
• Brands may reformulate with alternatives like shea butter or mango butter
• Supply constraints could lead to out-of-stock products or delayed launches

Are There Alternatives?

Yes—but they come with trade-offs. While shea butter, mango butter, cupuaçu butter and kokum butter can mimic some properties of cocoa butter in cosmetics, they differ in texture, aroma, and skin-feel. For chocolate, replacing cocoa butter is trickier and can compromise quality.

The Road Ahead 

Experts warn that the cocoa butter shortage may persist if climate conditions don’t stabilize and sustainable farming isn’t prioritized. Supporting ethical and regenerative cocoa farming, investing in climate-resilient crops, and improving supply chain transparency will be key to long-term recovery.

Final Thought

Whether you’re indulging in a chocolate bar or applying your favorite body butter, cocoa butter plays a larger role than most realize. As the world faces a shortage, understanding its value—and the need for sustainable sourcing—becomes more important than ever.

Cheers,

La Mayca x