Do I finally need glasses at the age of 33, or are craft chocolate bars getting smaller and smaller by the day?

Forgive me if this is going to be a list of personal observations rather than an objectively researched topic, but I am noticing a trend where those large, satisfying and generous 70-100 g (2,5 - 3,5 oz) bars, especially in the craft bean-to-bar chocolate market, are increasingly rare to find.

I’d love to know if you, craft chocolate aficionados like me, feel the same.

Global Shrinkflation

Cost of raw materials, transportation, packaging, employment and general business operations are rising across all industries.

In this survival mode, food companies are finding new ways to retain their profit margins as much as possible. One of the solutions they are implementing is to reduce the size/quantity of their products while maintaining or even increasing their price tags (an economic phenomenon known as shrinkflation). We see it every day in supermarkets: from cereal boxes to peanut butter jars, our favorite packaged foods have most likely shrinked in size despite keeping the same packaging and price.

What I am witnessing in the craft bean-to-bar chocolate market is NOT that brands are malevolently selling less chocolate for the same price, but that:

Newcomers use 50 g (1,7 oz) as their new standard size to enter the market (instead of the 70 g or even 100 g used in the past by old-school craft chocolate makers).
Already established and well-known craft chocolate brands are either making their packaging bigger while maintaining the same bar inside, or are raising prices across their assortments.
Craft chocolate bars are getting prettier but also thinner, to the point where large-looking bars end up weighting the same as smaller yet thicker ones.
Mini-size bars have lost popularity because their “larger” counterparts have shrinked to the point that it wouldn’t make sense to launch their mini versions.

Let’s discuss further.

Small Chocolate In Big Packaging

Have you ever opened a big wrapper only to find a tiny chocolate bar inside dancing in all the extra space? This isn’t an inherently malicious practice, but it can still upset consumers.

Chocolate bars, especially the ones with custom molds and fine details, are delicate and must be protected by a sturdy, large and resistant packaging. Also, brands need to stand out from competitors with eye-catching and modern packaging, and that’s easier to do with a bigger wrapper that you can cover with wonderful images and designs compared to a smaller surface. A bigger packaging also means more space for important information.

Especially when there is a lot to communicate, like with craft bean-to-bar chocolate, packaging becomes the perfect occasion to tell the story of the company, dive deep into the cacao origin, give guidance on chocolate tasting, and explain the ingredients in detail. However, it’s undeniable the disappointment of opening a chocolate bar only to find out that the actual chocolate covers just 2/3 of the packaging surface. And let’s admit it: who is attentively checking the weight on the packaging while shopping for mouthwatering chocolate?

The risk is for consumers to feel betrayed, even with all the right intentions.

50 g Is The New Norm

Remember when craft chocolate makers launched the mini bars?

Smaller versions of their regular bars that offered the same quality at a lower price. It seemed like every brand was going to go in the direction of having mini bars next to their regular bars. Well, with the advent of shrinkflation, that trend is totally fading away. Instead of offering mini-size bars (that are usually pretty expensive and not so cost efficient for the brand), craft chocolate makers have directly shrinked the size of their regular bars, therefore eliminating the need for smaller alternatives.

If well-established craft chocolate makers are almost forced to maintain the current size of their bars (because loyal customers would immediately notice and probably get outraged!), new craft chocolate brands are coming to the market with bars that are far away from the generous old-school 70 and 100 g sizes. I often receive chocolate from new craft bean-to-bar chocolate brands around the world and, since 2021, I have yet to unwrap a chocolate bar that weights more than 55 g. There could be many valid reasons for this new popular size, for example:

creating a visual difference with the mass-produced chocolate bars found in supermarkets: a smaller-than-average product size is unconsciously associated with a high-quality/premium product.
producing as many bars as possible from the same amount of chocolate: customers sure want to get the most bang for their buck, but also craft chocolate makers need to stretch their already thin profit margins as much as possible.

Since craft bean-to-bar chocolate is meant for savoring and not for mindless munching, a 50 g (1,7 oz) bar is actually an appropriate size for a product that is the best in its category. However, craft chocolate lovers should be made aware of this new trend and stop expecting grand chocolate bars that can be shared with multiple people or create the chance for leftovers.

Thinner Chocolate Bars

Did you find a craft chocolate bar that looks full size but with a surprisingly low price tag? The (often involuntarily) trick is probably in the mold.

There are many reasons why craft chocolate makers may opt for a very thin mold. First of all, slim chocolate bars are more suitable for serious chocolate tastings than their chunkier and thicker counterparts. They break easily, snap nicely, and melt faster. Secondly, thin molds usually come with fascinating designs and intricate details. This extra prettiness for the eyes make up for the missing weight in the mouth. Lastly, they fit in a slim packaging that might be easier to handle and stock compared to the packaging needed for thicker bars. Despite all these advantages, the other side of the coin can be bothersome for consumers: thinner molds might result in chocolate bars that deceive the eye and look bigger than tinier yet thicker bars that weigh exactly the same.

The ultimate question is: are bigger wrappers, smaller sizes and thinner molds all that bad for the craft bean-to-bar chocolate industry? I’d dare to say that they are actually a change for the better!

The Bright Side

Those who know the true cost of ethical, sustainable and artisanal bean-to-bar chocolate are aware that profit margins are incredibly thin, and that chocolate makers often have to rely on a second job, outside investors or other businesses to make ends meet. This is mainly due to the high production costs of craft chocolate, but also to the inability to present consumers with a price tag higher than $ 8 x bar before the outrage and indignation begins.

Perhaps the same price for a lower amount of product is closer to the RIGHT price for craft chocolate than it was ever before. Perhaps craft chocolate makers have always sold themselves short, and this economic crisis is the chance to elevate craft chocolate to the right price for the right size. However, it’s important that craft chocolate makers don’t get tempted to put into place deceiving practices: the size of the bar should be clear at first sight; the weight of the product should be communicated properly both on the packaging and on the online store; the ratio between the packaging and the chocolate shouldn’t be too large.

Tips To Avoid Getting Disappointed

If you are a craft bean-to-bar chocolate lover, you are familiar with the prices in this segment of the market.

When a price sounds a little “too goo to be true”, don’t forget to check the weight of the bar on the packaging. This vital information will give sense and reason to what looks like a cheap price. Remember that inclusion bars (chocolate with added ingredients) will tend to be heavier than plain dark/milk/white chocolate. The weight MUST be written on the packaging by law. So if you don’t find the weight on the front of the bar, it will definitely appear on the back or on the side.

Lastly, check the weight of the product also when shopping online (something that we tend to overlook while mouth watering on our keyboards) to avoid getting disappointed when the postman rings the bell.

Do you think that craft chocolate bars are shrinking in 2023?

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