The Simple Reason Dark Chocolate Is More Expensive Than Milk Chocolate

Whether you're a sucker for milk chocolate or a diehard fan of dark, everyone can agree that the cost of what was once a no-brainer at the register has slowly risen to make the sweet treat an uncommon luxury. Despite rising costs, eagle-eyed chocolate lovers will know that dark chocolate has always been more expensive than milk chocolate. It's not just to make dark chocolate fans suffer, but it's actually caused by the contents of the chocolate.

Dark chocolate simply contains more concentrated amounts of cacao than milk chocolate; therefore, it costs more for manufacturers to create, so you feel the residual effect on your wallet. It's typically created from only three ingredients, whereas milk chocolate contains more additives and fillers to bring out the sweet flavors of the cacao. Dark chocolate contains cacao solids, the nonfat part of the cacao bean, cacao butter, the pure fat extract from the bean, and a bit of sugar. The higher the cacao percentage, the higher the price of the chocolate bar and the lower the sugar content. Although it takes a massive amount of water to make a chocolate bar, you're paying more for dark chocolate solely due to a higher cacao percentage.

At the beginning of its life cycle, all chocolate products start as beans from the cacao tree, otherwise known as the Theobroma tree. This tree thrives in warm, tropical climates close to the equator, such as Ghana and the Ivory Coast, where most of the world's cocoa comes from. Cacao beans are harvested, fermented, dried, roasted, cracked, and ground to make cocoa, which goes on to become other chocolate products. There's no minimum or maximum when it comes to making dark chocolate, but most manufacturers will create dark chocolate with a 50-90% ratio of cocoa solids, whereas milk chocolate tends to substitute the cocoa solids for milk solids.

Some chocolatiers and bakers tend to choose dark over milk chocolate because of the nuances in flavor. Dark chocolates have a richer, purer flavor that resembles the taste of a cacao bean plucked fresh from the tree, though it's also more bitter and tangy. The flavors can vary depending on the tree's age, the bean's quality, or the technique used to process it since there's very little added sugar to mask the unique notes. For those reasons, dark chocolate pairs well with fruits like strawberries and bananas. The price tag may be a little higher than milk chocolate, but you're paying for bolder flavors and a bit of indulgence.