Vital Baking Ingredient Missing From Hudson Valley Shelves

Bakers throughout New York have been on the hunt for an important ingredient that no longer seems to exist. Could this be the end of your favorite recipe?

Hudson Valley residents have gotten used to shortages and supply issues. Ever since the pandemic, we've seen periods when certain staples have been completely out of stock. Unlike the initial panic that sent people hoarding toilet paper and hand sanitizer, today, most shoppers take these things in stride, realizing that their favorite product will eventually return.

Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case with one important ingredient that has all but disappeared from Hudson Valley supermarkets for the past few months.

Baking Ingredient Disappears From New York Shelves

Last month, my wife was making her famous chocolate and peanut butter cookies when she realized that she was running low on one important ingredient. After adding Hershey's Cocoa Powder to our shared shopping list on our phones, I found myself at the store and attempted to purchase some. But instead of cocoa powder, all I found was an empty shelf.

I assumed this was just a temporary issue, so I kept it on the list for when I was in a different store. The next day, I was in another supermarket when I discovered that they, too, were out of Hershey's Cocoa Powder. Since then, I've been to a number of stores, and all of them were completely out of stock.

While some of the stores I visited had generic branded cocoa powder, my wife says her recipe specifically requires Hershey's, and who am I to argue? So now, we're faced with the horror of not being able to eat any more peanut butter chocolate cookies until we can find some.

Why Is There a Hershey's Cocoa Powder Shortage?

It turns out that cocoa powder has been in short supply since last year. According to Mark Taylor, Senior Director of Strategic Sourcing for Hershey's, the cocoa market is "not healthy." While weather conditions and crop disease have contributed to supply issues, the shortages we've been experiencing are actually due to other complicated economic reasons.

Taylor explains that the cocoa market is highly volatile and doesn't seem to accurately represent supplies of the commodity being produced.  While cocoa bean prices in many countries have fallen, prices on the exchange have actually increased, which has led to the shortages we've been experiencing.

When Will Hershey's Cocoa Powder Return to the Hudson Valley?

It's unclear when Hershey's Cocoa Powder will be restocked at your local store, but in the meantime, other brands such as Nestle's can be found in some stores as well as other generic brands. While they may not be the exact product your family has used for generations, it may be your only option for a while.

The good news is that there is expected to be a surplus in cocoa bean production for the 2025 season. Hershey's has also made "significant investments" to strengthen the cocoa supply chain, but admits that there is a long way to go before the problem will be completely sorted out.