STEVENSON, Md. — Ever since The Velvet Chocolatier set up shop in Stevenson in 2009, business has been great.
"I owe it all to Oprah. She chose me as her favorite in 09," owner Ruthie Caroliner said.
Ruthie told WMAR 2 News that each year, Christmas and Valentine's Day are the busiest holidays for them.
VIDEO: High cost of cocoa beans raises the price of chocolate before Valentines Day
And with chocolate hearts and balloons at the front of the store, she's ready.
"Valentine's Day is a one-day-a-year day, so people come in sort of panicked; I have to get my chocolate. What do you have?"
But she said something is different this year than in years past—the price of chocolate has skyrocketed.
"It used to be less than $4 a pound, and then this year when I went to order it, I order about a ton and a half every fall; it went up to close to $8 a pound."
For the cause of the problem, we have to go straight to the source where two-thirds of the world's cocoa beans come from—West Africa.
Farmers in the area have faced horrible weather conditions and were left with a low supply of the sought-after crop.
According to the International Cocoa Organization, prices are now soaring.
The cost of cocoa in the United States is more than $10,000 per ton, the highest it's been in 50 years.
But for Ruthie, it's not just the chocolate that's at a higher price point.
"It's everything. It's the nuts, the velvet, it's the packaging, it's the shipping costs."
But she said being a small business helps her out.
"I'm glad that.I have a small shop, and that I can control pretty much my expenses and my overhead so that way I don't have to experience all the high costs everywhere."
However, her customers are left paying more.
"I've had to increase a little bit. But I try not to increase it too much. My customer really appreciates good chocolate, and so they will pay the price."
And it doesn't look like the cost of cocoa beans will lower any time soon.
But Ruthie told WMAR 2 News because she can control everything else on her end, she's not worried about the future, saying she'll be here forever.
