原料短缺，美国巧克力零售价格持续上涨

Core Insights - The price of chocolate in the United States has increased significantly, with a year-on-year rise of over 14% as of early February 2023 [1] Price Trends - From January 1 to early February 2023, the retail price of chocolate in the U.S. rose by 14.4% compared to the same period last year [1] - Specific cities such as Denver and Los Angeles experienced price increases of approximately 17%, while the Dallas-Fort Worth area saw an even higher increase of 19% [1] Supply Chain Factors - The primary driver of the rising chocolate prices is the global supply shortage of cocoa beans, which are predominantly produced in West Africa, accounting for about 70% of global production [1] - Extreme weather conditions have led to poor harvests, pushing cocoa futures prices to historical highs [1] - Although international cocoa prices have recently declined, chocolate products in the U.S. are still adjusting to previously high procurement costs, indicating that the upward price trend may continue in the short term [1]