Is Your Chocolate Still Chocolate? The Truth Behind Cocoa Cuts
The chocolate we consume today is increasingly becoming a shadow of its former self, as rising costs and cocoa shortages lead manufacturers to replace cocoa butter and cocoa solids with cheaper alternatives like palm and shea oils. This shift has stripped iconic treats such as Penguin and Club biscuits of their legal chocolate status, reflecting a broader global trend of shrinkflation and reformulation. Malta, like many other countries, is experiencing the impact of these changes, with chocolate products becoming smaller, more expensive, and nutritionally inferior. Cocoa’s natural benefits, including antioxidants and neutral effects on cholesterol, are being lost in favor of ingredients that may harm cardiovascular health. Extreme weather events in cocoa-producing regions like Ghana and the Ivory Coast have driven up cocoa prices by 350%, exacerbating these changes. For Malta’s food scene, this presents an opportunity for restaurants and cafés to differentiate themselves by offering high-quality, authentic chocolate desserts that prioritize taste, nutrition, and sustainable sourcing. As consumers become more aware of ultra-processed alternatives, businesses
Why the Chocolate We’re Eating Isn’t Really Chocolate Anymore
In the whimsical world of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Violet Beauregarde chews gum that magically tastes like tomato soup, roast beef, and blueberry pie. But her indulgence turns her into a giant blueberry—a cautionary tale about pleasure without substance. Today, the chocolate aisle is offering its own version of Violet’s gum: familiar treats that look like chocolate but are anything but. This phenomenon isn’t a fantasy; it’s a harsh reality affecting supermarket shelves in Malta and across the globe, with consequences for our health, wallets, and taste buds.
Two iconic British chocolate biscuits—Penguin and Club—have recently been stripped of their legal chocolate status. The coatings on these beloved snacks now contain so little cocoa that they’re officially labeled “chocolate flavour.” The classic slogan promising “a lot of chocolate on your biscuit” has been swapped for the less indulgent “a lot of biscuit in your break.” The culprit? Rising costs. Pladis, the parent company of McVitie’s, has replaced cocoa butter with cheaper palm and shea oils to keep prices down. Under UK law, chocolate must contain at least 20% cocoa solids or cocoa butter—a surprisingly low threshold. Yet even this minimal standard isn’t being met.
This isn’t just a British issue. Shrinkflation—the practice of reducing product size while maintaining or increasing prices—is a global trend, and Malta is feeling the squeeze. Chocolate bars, tubs, and festive boxes have become smaller while prices soar. Quality Street, Cadbury Roses, and Toblerone have all downsized their offerings, leaving consumers paying more for less. Globally, cocoa prices have skyrocketed, driven by extreme weather events affecting harvests in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, which produce two-thirds of the world’s cocoa. Drought, flooding, and disease have decimated cocoa yields, pushing prices up by an astonishing 350% between 2024 and 2025.
For Malta’s foodies and health-conscious residents, this shift in chocolate production is more than just an economic inconvenience—it’s a wake-up call about what we’re consuming. Cocoa butter, despite being high in saturated fat, contains stearic acid, which has a neutral effect on cholesterol. In contrast, the palm kernel and hydrogenated vegetable oils now used in many chocolate-flavoured products are rich in lauric and myristic acids, which increase LDL cholesterol (commonly known as "bad" cholesterol). A 2020 study published in the Journal of Lipids confirmed that replacing cocoa butter with vegetable fats can raise a product’s potential to clog arteries. Cocoa solids, which are being reduced in these products, also contain powerful flavanols—antioxidants linked to better cardiovascular and cognitive health. In short, the chocolate alternatives many of us are eating are nutritionally inferior to the real thing.
This brings us to an important question for Malta’s food scene: how do we balance indulgence with health in an era of imitation? For those committed to a healthy lifestyle, understanding what’s inside our favourite treats is crucial. Restaurants and cafés in Malta that focus on offering high-quality, nutrient-rich desserts may find themselves at an advantage as consumers grow more wary of ultra-processed alternatives. Cocoa’s natural benefits make it a standout ingredient, but as it becomes scarcer, sourcing real chocolate may require extra effort—and perhaps a premium price.
The shift in chocolate production also serves as a broader warning about the fragility of our food system. Cocoa trees are highly sensitive plants that thrive only within 20 degrees of the equator, require humid conditions, and are vulnerable to disease. The International Cocoa Organisation predicts that without better farming practices and disease control, shortages will persist for years. This is not just an issue for chocolate; crops like coffee, vanilla, almonds, and even wine are facing similar threats due to climate change. For Malta, which prides itself on its culinary heritage, these challenges could reshape the way local chefs and producers approach their craft.
As consumers, we are often slow to notice these changes. Taste memory is powerful; we expect a Penguin bar or chocolate dessert to taste as it always has, and our brains fill in the gaps. Psychologists refer to this phenomenon as “sensory expectation,” where the brand or packaging triggers nostalgia that overrides the actual flavour. For many in Malta, chocolate isn’t merely food—it’s comfort, ritual, and a symbol of indulgence. Amidst rising costs, these small luxuries carry even greater emotional weight. But as manufacturers reformulate recipes to stretch cocoa supplies further, the familiar flavours we crave are quietly being engineered from cheaper ingredients.
For restaurants and cafés in Malta, this is an opportunity to stand out. By prioritizing quality ingredients and highlighting the authenticity of their offerings, businesses can cater to an audience increasingly concerned with both taste and nutrition. Whether it’s a decadent dark chocolate cake or a simple cacao smoothie bowl, dishes made with genuine cocoa can be positioned as a healthier, more satisfying alternative to supermarket imitations. Moreover, supporting ethical and sustainable cocoa sourcing aligns with Malta’s growing interest in responsible dining practices.
The decline of real chocolate is a reminder that the choices we make today—both as consumers and as food creators—shape the future of our diets. Willy Wonka dreamed of an “Everlasting Gobstopper,” a candy that would last forever without changing. But today’s chocolate is moving in the opposite direction. As cocoa scarcity drives reformulation, the very essence of what we once considered chocolate is slipping away. For Malta’s food lovers, the challenge is clear: to recognize and celebrate authentic flavours before they become a distant memory. In a world of imitation, the real thing is worth savoring.