Chocolate bars are getting way less chocolatey

• Cocoa futures have reached a record high of $6,000 per ton.
• So candy brands are shoving other ingredients centerstage, like caramel, nuts, and even pockets of air.
• Hershey said it will increase gummy candy capacity by 50% this year.

As cocoa prices skyrocket thanks to extreme weather, crop disease, and structural issues, chocolate bars are not only falling victim to shrinkflation — they're getting a lot less chocolatey.

Last year, Mars shrunk its Galaxy bars by 10 grams without lowering the price, according to Bloomberg, which reports that cocoa futures have for the first time surpassed $6,000 per ton. As a result, candy makers are unveiling bars that put other ingredients centerstage.

Nestle, for instance, has released a chocolate hazelnut flavor of its Aero chocolate bars — which are already light on the chocolate thanks to their air pockets — in the UK, while Hershey introduced a chocolate frosted donut flavor of its long-beloved Kit Kats in the US, which are only partially dipped in chocolate, Bloomberg reported.

Shifting flavor profiles were also evident in Super Bowl ads earlier this month, according to the outlet, when Mars touted peanut butter-filled M&M's and Hershey advertised Reese's cups with a caramel interior.

Carl Quash III, the head of snacks and nutrition at market research company Euromonitor International, told Bloomberg that more than 40% of molded and segmented chocolate bars in the US now comprise non-chocolate fillings, including caramel, nuts, and fruit.

Hershey has also started to emphasize other kinds of candy altogether. At a conference in Florida this month, the company said it planned to increase its capacity for gummy candies by 50% in 2024, tapping NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal in a media partnership for the confection category.

If you still need a chocolate fix, however, be prepared to pay a little more to satisfy the craving.

Mars, Nestle, and Hershey did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.