chocolate

This Valentine’s Day, chocolate prices are no longer at last year’s peak, but cheap chocolate has not made a comeback, and it probably never will. Last year’s cocoa price crisis, driven by a combination of extreme heat, drought and disease in key producing regions, may have eased. But the aftertaste remains: A market that no longer behaves the way it used to, because the landscapes that grow cocoa are no longer the same. And the world’s unwitting appetite for cheap chocolate at the expense of biodiversity is part of the reason.

Cocoa is one of the most rainfall-dependent crops in the tropics, grown mainly by smallholders with few safety nets. Because cocoa production is concentrated in a handful of regions, a bad season in one place can quickly ripple across global supply. That fragility was laid bare in 2024, when the Ivory Coast and Ghana, which produce nearly 60 percent of the world’s cocoa, were hit by climate extremes that slashed harvests. Prices surged by more than 300 percent, squeezing some farmers, enriching others, and leaving consumers paying for the uncertainty.

The problem is not simply that cocoa is vulnerable. It is that we have built a cocoa economy that magnifies the vulnerability. For decades, the world has chased low prices and high output, and too often that has meant converting forest landscapes into farmland, from West Africa to parts of Latin America and Southeast Asia.

But forests are not optional. They regulate rainfall, protect soils, and create the microclimates on which cocoa depends. Full-sun cocoa farms can produce higher yields in the short term, but the sugar rush is followed by a costly crash: Depleted soils, limited protection from heat and drought that is on the increase, and little for farmers to fall back on when the monocrops fail. Yields fall, farms expand deeper into forests to compensate, and the cycle repeats.

This is why cocoa’s price volatility is not a temporary blip. It is a warning sign: We are weakening the natural systems cocoa depends on at the same moment that climate change is making harvests less reliable.

Research by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) shows how extreme heat undermines agriculture, reducing both the quantity and quality of crop yields and increasing pest and disease pressure. A recent study modelling cocoa under mid-century climate change finds that warming could wipe out as much as a third to half of today’s suitable cocoa area in some core producing zones, while shifting production towards new regions. Without safeguards, that transition risks trading climate stress in one place for forest loss in another. The details will vary across regions, but the implication is global: As climate change alters weather patterns, the geography of cocoa production will shift, and a stable supply will become harder to take for granted.

Unless we build resilience now, future Valentine’s Days may come with less chocolate and higher prices.

But we can eat our chocolate and keep forests too, by changing how cocoa is grown. It starts with bringing trees back to cocoa farms, reversing the damaging practices that are ultimately undermining production. Change can be made through climate-resilient agroforestry practices that rebuild shade cover, improve soil health and moisture retention, and reduce cocoa’s exposure to heat and drought. Cocoa grown under shade trees can stabilise farm conditions and support biodiversity, while producing higher-quality beans that meet premium market standards, giving farmers stronger incentives to maintain tree cover rather than clear more land.

Sceptics argue that growing cocoa with trees means accepting lower yields. But when it comes to unsustainable practices, high productivity today comes with a high cost tomorrow. A farm that exhausts its soil, loses shade, is exposed to drought, and needs ever more chemical inputs to maintain production is not a success story. It is a trap.

In a changing climate, the point is not how much cocoa a farm can produce in a year, but how reliably it can produce year after year. That requires resilience built into the landscape, now more than ever: More tree cover, healthier soils, and diversified farm systems that protect livelihoods when climate extremes hit.

This is not theoretical. It is already happening.

In Ecuador’s Amazon province of Napo, a project financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and supported with technical assistance from the FAO has helped strengthen a sustainable cocoa value chain built around the traditional Chakra agroforestry system used by Kichwa communities. Put simply, it is cocoa grown as part of a forest garden: Kichwa women known as Chakramamas help steward these farms, cultivating cocoa under shade trees alongside a diverse mix of other crops and native plants, rather than clearing land for a single crop. Recognised by FAO as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System, the model is still expanding more than a decade on, helping Indigenous producer families earn more from premium cocoa through stronger processing, marketing, and partnerships with high-value buyers. High-end chocolatiers continue to source from Chakra producers, showing that cocoa grown alongside trees can deliver world-class quality while keeping forests standing for biodiversity, climate and land benefits.

There are more examples. In the Ivory Coast, FAO-backed efforts supported by the Green Climate Fund are already delivering results, restoring 1,084 hectares (2,679 acres) of degraded land and converting 3,527 hectares (8,715 acres) of conventional cocoa into improved agroforestry systems while reducing pressure on forests. Meanwhile, 234 farmers now have access to cocoa cooperatives, ensuring access to international fair-trade and organic certifications and a better price for their products. In Sao Tome and Principe, FAO has supported cocoa agroforestry through the GEF-funded Restoration Initiative, helping restore nearly 10,000 hectares (about 25,000 acres) of forest and improve land management across a further 23,000 hectares (about 57,000 acres). These are not boutique experiments. They are working models for stabilising supply, supporting farmer incomes, and reducing the forest loss that fuels cocoa’s growing volatility.

But projects alone will not be enough. Scaling them will take serious investment: From governments, companies, and consumers. It will also require rules that shift incentives across the entire cocoa economy, such as a new European Union law that requires cocoa and chocolate entering the EU market to be deforestation-free. By tying market access to how cocoa is grown, these rules are pushing governments, producers, and companies to rethink production models, improve traceability, and strengthen zero-deforestation cocoa systems.

Governments will also need to invest in farmer adaptation and long-term productivity, not just short-term output. That means accessible finance, practical support on farms, and policies that reward sustainable production instead of expansion into forests.

And chocolate companies need to promote resilience across their supply chains, not just chase volume. In a world of climate disruption, the cheapest cocoa is not necessarily the best bargain if it comes at the expense of farmers’ livelihoods or the ecosystems that keep cocoa viable in the years to come.

Paying farmers for chocolate that keeps forests standing is not a luxury. It is part of what makes cocoa more available and keeps farmers in business in a warming world. Chocolate is sold as a simple pleasure, but cocoa is no longer a simple crop: Its future depends on whether we treat forests and biodiversity as essential infrastructure for stable and resilient agrifood systems.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

Amber previously visited Cadbury World to see if she could bag much free chocolate. She documented her journey to the Birmingham attraction, and made a few discoveries

There’s nothing like indulging in a good bar of chocolate, and Cadbury has been a staple brand for many years, as it’s always bringing out new and exciting flavours. However, in a bid to have a totally sweet experience, one woman visited Cadbury World, in Birmingham, to see if she could bag some free chocolate.

Amber, who’s known as passporttpages on TikTok, often documents her travel adventures and local experiences, and she shared what it was like when she visited the famous chocolate factory. According to her, there are questions people sometimes have about visiting such as “what is there to do?” and perhaps, most importantly, “do you get any free chocolate?”, so she ventured off in search of some answers.

It’s not the first time someone has carried out such an experiment either. Back last year, another woman also went on a mission to try and find free sweet treats at the factory.

Alongside the video, Amber said: “Is Cadbury World still good without kids? We spent around two hours here and had a great time! If you’re looking for a family day out or a fun few hours out the house this is great.”

In the clip, Amber then continued to explain what happened when she visited the attraction back last year. She said: “There is a high possibility I’m going to be way too old for this, but we’re going to give it a go anyway.

“We’re giving Cadbury World a go as adults, so let’s see how it goes. The first thing that happens when you arrive is you’re given three free chocolate bars, so you can’t go wrong with that, and you can also buy a bag to put them in.

“It was £1.50 for a small one or £2.50 for a big one. So when you go inside, you go around a set route where you can see how chocolate was made years ago, all the old advertising and a few shows.

“My favourite bit was this one, where they give you a pot of melted chocolate and you can pick two toppings to put in it. I chose to put Oreo crumbs and white chocolate buttons in mine, and it was so good.”

Amber also explained there’s something called a “have a go” section, where you can do some chocolate drawings and have a go at tempering chocolate too. After this, she experienced a 4D cinema ride, which she noted was “better than she was expecting”.

She also said there’s a café with all sorts of treats available and there’s also a playground outside for kids. As well as this, she thought the gift shop was a “real treat”.

Amber headed straight to the chocolate section as “nearly all of it was discounted”. There were some bars that were “twice the size of her head”, and she also managed to snap up some limited edition goodies too.

According to her, it’s a great place to go for a day out, and she seemed to really enjoy her time there. Not to mention, she bagged a few freebies too.

The video has been watched more than 25,000 times since she posted it, and people were quick to comment too. They shared all sorts of thoughts about their personal experiences at Cadbury World.

One said: “Been to Cadbury World twice as kid, once when I was too small to remember it, and once when I was a bit older (maybe eight or nine) and seeing this has made me want to go back, looks really good.”

Another added: “I remember going and throwing up the whole way home cause we all ate so much chocolate, lol.”

A third suggested you used to get more free chocolate though, writing: “I swear when I used to go as a kid you got about a dozen free bars at the beginning. The shop at the end is pretty good to be fair, especially if you buy the bags of Mis Shapes.”

Meanwhile, a fourth also commented: “I used to love the small pots of chocolate they’d give in every room around.” One more also chimed in with: “Haven’t been in years, but I remember that pot of melting chocolate being insane!”

How much is it to visit Cadbury World?

There are different packages available but, according to the website, a standard ticket costs from £19 if you book in advance. It also details what treats you may find yourself receiving.

It states: “Each guest will receive a Cadbury chocolate bar at the start of the tour, and then in our Chocolate Making zone, each guest will receive a delicious pot of warm melted Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate, plus a choice of two toppings from a selection of treats.

“Then, after our new Cadbury Chocolate Quest ride, each guest will also receive another Cadbury chocolate bar to enjoy. Please note that the gifting of chocolate and any other products is complimentary and may be withdrawn at any time at the discretion of Cadbury World.”

NINETIES classic Cotton Eye Joe blasts out of the speakers as my kids Poppy, six, and Raffy, four, attempt their first ever ski tricks on the “Indian piste”, gliding past cartoon figures and over obstacles like they’ve been skiing for years.

In fact, it’s only their second day. 

And I’ve got Stacey Solomon to thank for this golden memory.

It’s been nine years since I last wore a pair of skis, but watching Stacey and her gang hitting the mountains in BBC1’s Stacey & Joe made me crave a family ski experience.

So we’re on a four-night break with Ski Weekends, in the buzzing French village of Les Gets.

Chalet Girl

Newly spruced-up Chalet Marjorie, with its alpine decor, makes for a brilliant base, just five minutes’ walk from the ski lifts and a 70-minute drive from Geneva airport.

COR BLIGHTY!

I went to English vineyard that feels more like France with cheese experiences

STREAK-FREE

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With table football, a dinky hammam and a large hot tub, we have everything we need post-ski.

The kids share a bunk-bed room, husband Andy and I cosy up in a double, and there’s a piping-hot power shower for our aching muscles.

Each afternoon, showstopper cakes baked by sous-chef Emily welcome us home, while chef Markus rustles up an early kids’ tea, before presenting three courses of treats such as cheesy tartiflette, duck à l’orange and brioche pud for the grown-ups.

Conversation (and wine) flow between guests – this chalet sleeps up to 42 – and sharing stories of skiing triumphs and life’s adversities at the end of the day is special.

We hire boots and skis from Désiré Sport, just seconds from the gondola.

Staff here help the children each morning with huge smiles, and welcome us back each evening with mulled wine.

After two lessons with the lovely (and incredibly patient) Guglielmo, an Italian ski instructor from Maison Sport, the kids are confident enough to join us even higher up the mountain.

Riding the chairlift up above the clouds in prep to race down a stunning tree-lined run together, my heart swells with pride.

These children, who are usually first to complain back home that their legs are tired or that they’re cold, are lapping up every moment in this incredible landscape.

But while Les Gets is part of the mega Portes du Soleil ski area – home to more than 600km of pistes – we’re very happy to take things easy, grabbing cream-laden hot chocolates, £4.50, from Télébar du Mont Blanc, and spending afternoons enjoying the snow in so many other ways.

Sister Sledge

Handily, L’Aprèski Bar sits at the bottom of the slopes and serves up a stonkingly good soundtrack and cracking cocktails next to one of the resort’s sledging spots.

So, as Poppy and Raffy race each other down on sledges borrowed from the chalet, Andy and I toast them with an Aperol Spritz, £10.50 (Bellevue-lesgets.com).

Another afternoon, we stop by the 1.1km-long 4 Season Alpine Coaster, which can hit speeds of almost 25mph.

Opened less than two years ago, it’s ridiculously good fun and the kids beg to ride it again immediately.

Rides cost £8 per sledge (Lesgets.com).

Lungs full of alpine air and kids full of a new kind of confidence, we’ve all adored exploring the mountain and celebrating each other’s wins.

Give me family adventures in Mother Nature’s playground over a theme park any day.

Frequently crowned the county’s ‘most beautiful village’ with its stunning natural landscapes, historic 17th-century stone cottages and charming rural atmosphere – it’s the perfect tranquil paradise.

Tucked away between the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Ribble Valley, brimming with fascinating history and stunning scenery, lies a village that appears ‘frozen in time’, often celebrated as Lancashire’s ‘most gorgeous village’.

The Lancashire community of Chipping ranks amongst those quintessential ‘picture postcard’ places you’d typically spot on television and instantly dream of calling home.

Boasting sweeping woodland vistas and immaculately maintained cottages, this settlement captures the true spirit of English countryside allure.

The area is equally famous for its deep historical foundations and cultural legacy, housing ancient stone dwellings, a historic inn with supernatural stories, and a flourishing community.

Chipping village’s past stretches back over a thousand years, and strolling through this charming hamlet feels like journeying through history, with the community exuding a distinctly medieval yet delightful ambiance, reports Lancs Live.

Indeed, many village stone cottages were built during the 1600s and 1700s.

A perfectly rural retreat, Chipping offers a wealth of attractions featuring cheese producers, a farm store, a furniture workshop, café, and arts centre, plus countless public walkways, bike paths and hiking trails.

This enchanting settlement showcases some of Lancashire’s most spectacular countryside directly at its entrance, providing endless attractions and pursuits in the neighbouring region.

Among Chipping’s most renowned attractions is Brabin’s Shop and Café, Britain’s longest continuously operating trading establishment; as of 2026, it functions as both a corner shop and eatery.

This modest enterprise has maintained its commercial role since initially welcoming customers in the 17th century, never fulfilling any alternative purpose.

The Sun Inn pub, an inviting yet notoriously legendary establishment, nestles discreetly on the corner of Chipping’s main thoroughfare, showcasing with pride its extensive paranormal heritage.

Upon reaching the village, visitors are greeted by evidence of Chipping’s RHS Gold Award for Britain in Bloom, with stunning floral displays scattered throughout the locale.

Venturing further into this magical settlement, a slender pathway, seemingly constructed for horse-drawn transport of bygone eras, draws travellers, flanked by delightful dwellings from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Investigating more thoroughly into the community, Chipping’s mesmerising heritage becomes immediately apparent to guests.

The village showcases the 13th Century St Bartholomew’s Church, an active Anglican place of worship holding Grade II Listed status, which has experienced partial restoration in 1505, 1706, and during the 19th Century.

However, whilst the settlement boasts an extensive and captivating history, it’s genuinely the residents who make this charming village truly extraordinary. Evidently taking enormous pride in their locality, numerous properties showcase spectacular floral displays, breathtaking facades, and remarkable stone-constructed dwellings with charming architectural features.

How to reach there

By car: Chipping sits roughly 10 miles from junction 31A on the M6.

By public transport: The closest railway and coach stations are situated in Preston.

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