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Monday, October 13, 2014

Ebola Threatens Chocolate

Ebola is threatening much of the world’s chocolate supply.

Ivory Coast, the world’s largest producer of cacao, the raw ingredient in M&M’s, Butterfingers and Snickers Bars, has shut down its borders with Liberia and Guinea, putting a major crimp on the workforce needed to pick the beans that end up in chocolate bars and other treats just as the harvest season begins. The West African nation of about 20 million — also known as Côte D’Ivoire — has yet to experience a single case of Ebola, but the outbreak already could raise prices.

The world’s chocolate makers have taken notice.

The World Cocoa Foundation is working now to collect large donations from Nestlé, Mars and many of its 113 other members for its Coca Industry Response to Ebola Initiative. The initiative hasn’t been publicly unveiled, but the WCF plans to announce details Wednesday, during its annual meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, on how the money will fuel Red Cross and Caritas Internationalis work to help the infected and staunch Ebola’s spread.

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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, Not Chocolate!!!!

Anonymous said...

I noticed Sunday, that butter was over $5 a lb... whats up with that?
Also, expect citrus to skyrocket. Some bacterial thing killed the crop, or so I am told. You will notice it in the freezer section, low quantity of frozen juices.

Anonymous said...

Maybe a coincidence, but the Food Lion was out of store-brand butter all weekend...

Anonymous said...

Most of the orange juice sold in america is from imported oranges but when ever there is a cold snap or virus, they jack up the prices.