Solving the Cocoa Challenge:

How Natural Flavors Can Help Cut Costs and Maintain Your Brands Signature Taste

The Cocoa Crunch Is Real—Now What?

Cocoa prices have surged in recent years due to a shortage caused by several factors. In June 2025, the commodity reached $8,402 per metric ton, a 73% increase from five years ago, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

This shortage stems from climate change, supply disruptions in West Africa–the world’s largest cocoa-producing region–and growing global demand. For food and beverage manufacturers, these challenges mean tighter supply chains, shrinking margins, and rising costs to chocolate-based products.

These challenges are real, but smart solutions exist to help you cut costs without losing quality or sacrificing flavor.

A Smarter Solution: Natural Cocoa Extenders

We understand that the cocoa supply challenge is forcing food and beverage manufacturers to rethink their product formulations. With every ounce of cocoa costing more and delivering less return, brands are looking for way to control costs without sacrificing quality.

That’s where we come in.

At FFP, we’ve developed a natural cocoa extender that allows brands to reduce cocoa powder usage while maintaining the rich, familiar taste consumers love. This is not a cocoa-free alternative; it’s a clean label, allergen-free, taste-driven solution that extends your cocoa supply while helping stabilize cost and availability. There is no compromise on flavor, just smarter formulation. Our flavorists partner with brands to develop customized natural cocoa extenders that can reduce cocoa powder usage without compromising flavor or quality, which saves you money.

Our cocoa extenders are key to creating your next successful product. We have seen strong results in bakery and beverage demos driven by our ability to customize the level of replacement based on your specific targets.

Where You Can Use It

  • Mocha lattes
  • Protein shakes
  • Muffins, brownies, and snack cakes
  • Milkshakes
  • Flavored Creams

If your product contains cocoa power, we have the solution.

Why Work With FFP?

We’re more than an ingredient supplier—we’re your innovation partner. Here’s what you get when you partner with FFP:

  • Customization to match your specific cocoa profile
  • Clean label compliance with “Natural Flavor” declarations
  • Speed-to-market support and reformulation expertise
  • Reduce costs and preserve your product’s taste without reformulation delays

We work closely with your technical and procurement teams to make sure the solution fits seamlessly into your process.

Don’t Let the Cocoa Crisis Affect Your Products

Stretch your cocoa, not your budget.  Partner with us to extend your cocoa supply and safeguard your formulations. Make your cocoa go further. Schedule a reformulation consultation today.

Let’s Get Started: Book a Reformulation Session

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About FFP

Founded in 1954, Florida Food Products is one of the world’s largest, independent providers of natural ingredients. FFP sources superior raw materials and produces clean label ingredients, concentrates and powders serving the food and beverage industry. Their portfolio includes natural flavors, coffee, tea and botanical extracts, functional nutrition inclusions, meat cure and cure accelerators, antioxidants and antimicrobials. The Company’s products offer innovative solutions and systems that enhance attributes such as taste, texture, shelf life, moisture, and color across various applications. The Company operates four state-of-the-art facilities strategically located across the United States and partners with leading national as well as emerging brands, manufacturers, and food service operators. For additional information, please visit www.floridafood.com.

SOURCE Florida Food Products