THE CHOCOLATE SHORTAGE

Growing demand in the face of disorganized producers

Synopsis

A chocolate crisis is looming. The cocoa tree is fragile and low-yielding. The plantations are rustic and aging. Producing countries are often unstable and poorly organized. However, investments are pouring in amid heavy speculation, driven by a dramatic increase in Chinese and Indian demand.

From the harvests on the red lands of Madagascar and the Ivory Coast, we examine the pressure exerted by middlemen, the heft of London's trading rooms, the strategies of industrial groups from Abidjan to Switzerland, and, finally, the consequences for chocolate makers and consumers.