Photo_on_2012-01-03_at_17
Reputation: 628
Follow 3
Follow 1

Why are chocolate truffles so expensive?

Kristin Bell asked in Just Desserts 4 months ago | Report

Answer this question or share it with a smart friend:

Avatar_default
Type your answer here…
Latest Greatest

4 Answers

  • 2008_0522stuff0016_small
    Reputation: 2052
    Follow 4
    Griffin

    3 reasons: 

    1) Commodity prices for chocolate are going up, due to poor farm management, soil degradation, political unrest and war where its grown, and global climate change. See here for some of the problems. Other ingredients' prices (like almonds) or specialty or premium ingredients (like organic certified whatever) also up the wholesale cost.

    2) Really good truffles are handmade, which is always more expensive than mass produced just in labor costs alone. Those little swirls that identify the filling don't just magically appear.

    3) People are willing to pay the prices set by the chocolatiers, so prices stay as high as the market will allow. That, and if all you make is chocolate, the per-piece has to be high enough to cover material, labor, rent, insurance, etc. etc. to keep the business afloat.

    I do like chocolate, but high prices are good for my diet since I can only have a small amount of the good stuff as it's all that I can afford.

    Griffin answered in Just Desserts 4 months ago | Report
    Comment on this answer
    Share this answer with a friend:
  • Avatar_default
    Reputation: 239
    Follow 0

    I was thinking about this the other day as I was making truffles at home. I think it comes down to production costs.

    It isn't hard to make truffles at home. You can buy imported chocolate hunks at Cost Plus World Market. Melt it and blend with some whipping cream and add in any extracts or liquor. Then chill and scoop up small balls, roll on your hands to form into balls and roll into high quality cocoa powder and chopped chocolate. Chill again and serve.

    agness answered in Just Desserts 4 months ago | Report
    Comment on this answer
    Share this answer with a friend:
  • Rex_racer_small
    Reputation: 690
    Follow 0

    well, I think $2-2.50 each at the farmer's market for gourmet flavors ain't bad vs $1.29 ea for a crappy snickers at 7-11

    RacerX answered in Just Desserts 4 months ago | Report
    1 comment by RacerX…
    Share this answer with a friend:
  • Mobius_small
    Reputation: 39
    Follow 0

    There's always the Chocolati factory outlet store on Aurora....

    B answered in Just Desserts 4 months ago | Report
    Comment on this answer
    Share this answer with a friend: