Big chocolate has a growing taste for lab-grown cocoa

The first half of the scientific name for the fiendishly fickle cocoa tree means "food of the gods".

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The first half of the scientific name for the fiendishly fickle cocoa tree means "food of the gods". By the time Theobrama cacao was christened by Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish naturalist, in 1753, wealthy Europeans, like the Mayans before them, were already worshipping its seeds. Three centuries on, demand for cocoa, the basic ingredient for chocolate, is still climbing heavenwards. Supply cannot keep pace.

An unholy combination of disease, climate change and poor farming practices in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, where about 70% of the world's cocoa is grown, has caused a severe shortage. Prices hit a record high of more than $12,000 in December. Although they have since eased, falling to $8,000 a tonne this month, that is more than triple the price three years ago (see chart). To survive, sweet-makers have raised their prices and pushed chocolate-free treats, such as gummies. They are working on more innovative solutions, too.