バレンタインデー到来もチョコ最高値更新 「ゼロカカオ」で価格抑える
バレンタインデー到来もチョコ最高値更新 「ゼロカカオ」で価格抑える
今年もバレンタインデーである2月14日の季節が訪れている。そんな中、チョコレート価格は最高値を更新した。原料であるカカオ豆の足元の価格は急落しているものの、高騰時の購入分がチョコレートメーカーらの在庫の大半を占めているため、値上げ圧力は依然強いためだ。円安も国内市場に影響を与えており、海外ブランドのチョコレート価格が上昇している。催事ではカカオ豆由来の原料を使わない「ゼロカカオ」チョコレートを用いたチョコレート菓子を展開する動きも出てきた。
English (Hidden Translation)
Valentine’s Day Arrives, Chocolate Prices Hit Record High, “Zero Cacao” Keeps Prices Down
This year’s Valentine’s Day on February 14th is approaching. Meanwhile, chocolate prices have reached a record high. Although the price of cocoa beans, the raw material, has recently dropped sharply, the majority of chocolate manufacturers’ inventory consists of stock purchased during the price surge, maintaining strong upward pressure on prices. The weak yen is also affecting the domestic market, leading to rising prices for foreign chocolate brands. There is also a trend at events to introduce chocolate products made with “zero cacao” chocolate, which does not use cocoa bean-derived ingredients.
Vocabulary
- Chocolate (チョコレート) – a sweet food made from roasted and ground cacao seeds.
- Price (価格) – the amount of money expected, required, or given in payment for something.
- Inventory (在庫) – the goods and materials a business holds for the purpose of resale.
- Surge (高騰) – a sudden increase in something.
- Trend (動き) – a general direction in which something is developing or changing.
Example Sentence
The price of chocolate has surged this year. (今年、チョコレートの価格が高騰しました。)
Important Phrases
- Record high (最高値) – the highest level ever reached.
- Upward pressure (値上げ圧力) – the force that causes prices to increase.
- Zero cacao (ゼロカカオ) – chocolate that does not contain cocoa-derived ingredients.
出典: https://business.nikkei.com/atcl/seminar/19/00030/021200738/
