Why the price of cacao has risen
A little while back there were internet jokes about the cost of lettuce. The cost of fuel is way up. And businesses are still feeling the effects of the pandemic that changed the world, many having to close their doors for good. Why do I share this with you? I want to open the window into the world of Love Bean Cacao and what all this has meant for us to be able to keep bringing this medicine to Australia.
If you’ve tried this cacao you know its special (more on that in another post). It would be cheaper for me to find a new supplier, most likely in Peru, and offer that cacao and to be fully transparent; make more money. And whilst Love Bean Cacao is my business, money making is, clearly, not my driving force. I write this to you now in order to shine the light on why my cacao is generally more expensive than others.
Earlier this year the cost to ship a small amount of cacao from Guatemala went up by a third. Without giving you the exact amounts this increase adds around $900 to my shipping costs. Two months later DHL increased the price again. Guatemala has not had a postal service since I lived there in 2018 and they began to “privatise” and didn’t finish. In short; to ship from Guatemala is expensive. We only ship small amounts because on both ends we are small businesses. Neither Love Bean Cacao nor Ruk’u’x Ulew are in a position to be shipping tonnes of cacao at a time. Ruk’u’x Ulew are 11 women lovingly preparing this medicine. It is another part of what makes it so special, what keeps the integrity, beauty & potency of this cacao alive. They are sending hundreds of pounds each week all over the world but even if they could send more, on my end I’m not (yet) equipped to handle more than a few hundred pounds at a time.
I wish I could sit here and tell you that the price rises that are occurring are in order to give more money to the women, however instead I have to tell you its because of rising fuel costs and rising shipping costs. This doesn’t take away from the fact that Ruk’u’x Ulew and thus Love Bean Cacao does support these women, this cacao is their income and this cacao has meant they have work they otherwise wouldn’t. In fact my hope in sharing this is to remind you of who gets lost as inflation hits and prices increase. I have to increase my prices so I can keep purchasing this cacao, so I can keep supporting these women and providing what I feel is one of the best cacaos out there.
As I write this I notice a sense of relief. It feels good to be able to share this transparently. Sometimes I feel guilty for the price of my cacao. I know it's worth it but I know there are cheaper options out there. Brands who can offer discounts and deals that just aren’t available with the margins that we work with at Love Bean Cacao. For me this cacao is too special to not keep bringing here. My heart is in this, not just my wallet, and I’ve gone into debt to be able to keep bringing this cacao to Australia.
I also don’t write this for pity. In the relief I also notice a deep sense of gratitude that I can keep sharing this medicine.
I hope in sharing this you have an appreciation for the thoughtfulness & the work that occurs to offer this cacao. A cacao I hope you have come to love and that I don’t want you to stop loving or having the possibility of loving & purchasing to sit with, to connect deeply with.
Thank you for your understanding & support.