FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. (WAFF) – The rise in chocolate prices is impacting many small businesses, including Elk Valley Nuts and Candy Co. in Fayetteville, Tenn.
As the price of chocolate ingredients increase due to cocoa bean shortages, this means small businesses that make chocolate have to increase the price of their products.
Owner of Elk Valley Nuts and Candy Co., Kathy Turner, said even though her business is managing well with the price increase, she is nervous about the fate of her business if the prices continue to increase.
“Sales have been okay right now, but we’re kind of nervous about moving forward because we keep getting price increases right now about every 30 days,” Turner said.
Turner said prices have gone up about 25% since December at her small business. She advised people to buy chocolate now, if they can, for many of the holidays coming up including Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day.
As ingredients for chocolate increase, some companies are price gouging their products. Turner suggests making sure that the ingredients are the same in the chocolate you purchase and making sure you check to see if you are purchasing products with real chocolate in them.
“If you see something doubling or something like that, I don’t see that happening in the industry at this point,” Turner said.
Turner said she remains honest with her customers about the price increase through social media.
“Our followers, they have really been receptive to the fact that we’ve been honest with them and upfront,” Turner said.
“When I get an email saying prices are going up, I try to pass that along, so they know, this isn’t something that we’re just doing. Our prices are going up. We have to raise prices and thus far, everybody has been really supportive of us.”
For Elk Valley Nuts and Candy Co., Turner said they are planning on making their chocolate as normal and adjusting prices only as needed if the price of ingredients continue to increase.
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