[Exclusive] Where Did the Two Pieces Go... Godiva Cake Weight Changed Just Before Valentine's Day

Reduced Weight for Two Belgian Cakes
'Chocolate Layer Cake' 540g to 370g
Two Cake Slices Disappear

Premium chocolate brand Godiva has reduced the weight of some cake products by more than 30%. Instead of raising cake prices amid soaring cocoa prices, the company chose to reduce the weight, which amounts to a 'sly' price increase that increases consumer burden ahead of Valentine's Day, the peak season for chocolate demand.

According to the food industry on the 4th, Godiva recently announced on its website that it will reduce the weight of two of its cakes by up to 31%. Accordingly, the weight of the 'Chocolate Layer Cake' will be reduced from 540g to 370g, and the 'Dark Chocolate Cake' from 540g to 430g. The cake diameters were also reduced from 15.5 cm to 14 cm, and from 15-16 cm to 13-14 cm, respectively.

Godiva is a premium chocolate brand founded in Belgium in 1926 and is a famous chocolate franchise sold in over 100 countries worldwide. In Korea, a total of 36 stores are operated, and BSK Corporation acquired the business rights in 2012 and has been responsible for sales and distribution since then.

BSK Corporation's parent company is Ilsin Spinning, the third-largest yarn manufacturer in Korea. Ilsin Spinning established BSK Corporation in 1996 to prepare for a cosmetics business. The company signed an exclusive sales contract with the British cosmetics company The Body Shop International PLC in 1996 and established The Body Shop to supply cosmetics domestically. This is why Godiva and The Body Shop stores were located side by side at the Gwanghwamun intersection.

Godiva cited rising raw material costs as the reason for the weight change. In the announcement, Godiva explained, "Due to global instability in cocoa supply, cost increases continue, and the resulting rise in raw material costs made it inevitable to change the cake weight," adding, "We sincerely apologize to our customers."

Godiva's 'Chocolate Layer Cake'. Recently, the weight of this product has decreased by 31%, from the original 540g to 370g. Godiva

In fact, the price of cocoa, a major raw material for chocolate, has been soaring due to reduced production caused by climate crises and pest damage. Ghana and C?te d'Ivoire, the world's first and second largest producers, were affected by heavy rains and droughts, and the rapid increase in Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD) infection rates also had a negative impact.

Cocoa prices surged sharply in mid-last year, stabilized for a while, but have been rising again from the end of last year to early this year. The price of cocoa was $4,204 per ton on January 1 last year, surged to $11,685 by mid-April three months later, and reached an all-time high of $12,605 in December of the same year. This is the highest level since statistics began in the 1970s.

As a result, price increases for some chocolate-containing foods are ongoing. Orion raised prices of major chocolate-containing products such as Choco Song-i and Digestive Choco by an average of 10.6% as of December 1 last year, and Haitai Confectionery also increased prices of snacks with high chocolate content such as Pocky and Home Run Ball by an average of 8.6%. Additionally, Coffee Bean announced at the end of last December that it would raise prices by 200 won for drinks containing chocolate powder, such as Cafe Mocha and Double Chocolate, due to the increase in cocoa prices.

The problem is that cocoa prices are not expected to fall. The dominant market view is that cocoa prices will continue to rise for the coming years. An industry insider lamented, "Due to climate change, fluctuations in raw material prices like this will become more frequent and more volatile. Given that most raw materials are imported in the domestic food industry, it is unavoidable."

The government has also announced plans to include cocoa beans in the 'regular tariff quota' system, which lowers tariffs on certain imports for a set period to ease the burden. However, experts point out that the effect may be limited in a long-term price increase phase. Another official said, "Tariff quotas help reduce import costs through tariff benefits when prices surge in the short term, but if the situation continues, the effect may diminish. Stabilizing the exchange rate is the best solution."