Okay, I get that the connection between the hazelnut shortage, Turkey, and travel is a loose one at best, but hear me out. I do take nuts, including hazelnuts, with me for snacking when I travel, and who doesn’t like sampling Nutella and chocolate products in various destinations? And Turkey is a country many travelers enjoy………….see the connection and why a hazelnut shortage is concerning??
What’s Up With The Hazelnut Shortage?
This recent article about the hazelnut shortage caught my eye.
Turkey, the world’s largest hazelnut supplier, had a winter frost that affected crops, pushing chocolate prices higher for brands like Nutella and Ferrero Rocher. The April frost was a rare and devastating one for the hazelnut crop.
Since April, hazelnut prices have jumped over 35%.
This shortfall is set to hit your sweet tooth hard, as the cost of Nutella, the beloved chocolate-hazelnut spread, faces sharp price increases, along with other chocolates and baked goods.
Pro Tip: Do you Pruvo all your hotels stays? If not, do what I do and let Pruvo monitor your reservations for price drops. It’s free and it’s the easiest way to save money on all your hotel rooms.
Nutella’s hazelnut headache
Although hazelnuts don’t get much attention, they are a key ingredient in many premium and mass market products. The stakes are high for brands like Ferrero, which makes Nutella and reportedly uses around a quarter of the world’s hazelnut supply.
If sustained, the hazelnut shortage may force Ferrero and other producers to reformulate the recipes for their sweet treats. Oh no!
The Good News
Fortunately, Turkey held back some of its 2022 crop, though it has now been used up. This should help reduce the shortfall.
Hazelnuts are harvested annually, typically in late summer. However, in years of surplus, Turkey often stores excess crops for future sale as farmers anticipate higher prices.
Interesting to note that other hazelnut growing regions also face challenges.
Chile and Georgia produce far less than Turkey, and US hazelnuts, mainly from Oregon, differ in flavor. Scaling up production elsewhere takes years, as hazelnut trees take 5-7 years to mature, limiting short-term relief.
And then there’s the effects of climate change. Changing climates could normalize shortages.
According to the article, the shortage also exposes a more profound vulnerability: the fragility of crop-dependent sectors to the effects of climate change.
Hazelnuts are particularly sensitive to spring frosts, and this year’s cold snap in Turkey is a stark reminder of how the climate crisis doesn’t just mean heat but unpredictability.
Coffee and cocoa have recently faced climate-related disruptions. The hazelnut shortage has forced confectioners to rethink sourcing and ingredients for their sweet treats.
Experts have warned that erratic weather could become more frequent, threatening hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts.
Do you have a sweet tooth that is satisfied by treats containing hazelnuts? Notice any price increases? Would higher prices have you shifting your favorite nut consumption to something else?
Let me know in the comments below!
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