4月10日午间英语新闻：美国今年复活节巧克力兔销量“遇冷”

> Chocolate Easter bunnies leaped from Pennsylvania Dutch ingenuity, hobbled by inflation in 2024

通货膨胀和气候变化推高巧克力价格 美国今年复活节巧克力兔销量“遇冷”

Credit first-generation German-American Robert Lincoln Strohecker, known in confectioner’s lore as the "Father of the Chocolate Easter Bunny."

第一代德裔美国人罗伯特·林肯·施特罗埃克尔是糖果界的传奇人物，被誉为“复活节巧克力兔之父”。

The source of Strohecker’s legend was a massive 5-foot-tall (or perhaps even taller) solid chocolate rabbit he displayed outside Pennsylvania retailers in 1890 to popularize smaller versions of his new Easter sweets born of German tradition.

1890年，为了推广这一德国复活节传统甜食，他曾在美国宾夕法尼亚州零售店门外竖起了一只至少5英尺高（约合1.5米）的实心巧克力兔。这只巨大的巧克力兔开启了施特罗埃克尔在糖果界的传奇生涯。

Strohecker's chocolate Easter bunny sales gimmick was an instant sensation. Americans purchase about 90 million Easter bunnies each year, according to WalletHub.

施特罗埃克尔作为销售噱头的巨型复活节巧克力兔在当时立刻引起了轰动。美国个人理财和信用评分网站WalletHub称，美国人每年购买的复活节巧克力兔多达9000万只。

The chocolate Easter bunny business he inspired, however, is being crippled by inflation here in 2024.

被施特罗埃克尔带火的复活节巧克力兔生意到了2024年却因为通货膨胀而损失惨重。

Cocoa futures have doubled just since the start of 2024, according to industry data, after soaring 60% in 2023. Rising costs, including energy and transportation, are being met by lower supplies.

行业数据显示，可可豆期货在2023年大涨60%，自2024年初以来已经翻了一倍。一方面，能源和运输等成本不断上涨，另一方面，原料供应又减少了。

The International Cocoa Organization reported last month that cocoa production is down 11% this year, citing poor weather conditions in West Africa, which produces two-thirds of the world's crop.

国际可可组织上月报告称，由于西非天气条件不佳，可可豆今年的产量下降了11%。全球三分之二可可豆都产自西非。

Sugar prices are also rising. Futures for a pound of sugar are up about 8% in 2024, after rising 2.7% in 2023.

糖的价格也在上涨。2024年以来1磅糖的期货价格上涨约8%，2023年上涨2.7%。

Big chocolate companies like Hershey's and Cadbury maker Mondelez have been passing those costs on to consumers — and then some: Hershey's net profit margins ticked higher to 16.7% in 2023 from 15.8% in 2022. Mondelez reported a jump to 13.8% in 2023 from 8.6% in 2022.

巧克力巨头好时和生产吉百利糖果的亿滋公司正在将成本转嫁到消费者身上。好时的净利润率从2022年的15.8%提高到2023年的16.7%。亿滋报告称净利润率从2022年的8.6%提高到2023年的13.8%。

Hershey raised prices on chocolate overall last year as inflation surged and said it would increase prices on grocery items early in 2024.

好时公司的巧克力产品去年全面涨价，理由是通胀率飙升，并表示在2024年初已进一步上调部分食品价格。

Both companies reported shrinking sales volumes for their most recent quarters as consumers grow tired of paying higher food prices. Chocolate giant Hershey witnessed a 6.6% decline in sales volume in the fourth quarter of 2023 and announced job cuts in February.

两家公司在刚刚过去的几个季度都宣布销售额下滑，因为消费者受不了价格上涨。巧克力巨头好时公司2023年四季度的销量下降6.6%，并在今年2月份宣布裁员。

Here in the United States, the National Retail Federation expects spending on chocolate Easter eggs and bunnies to drop from $3.3 billion in 2023 to $3.1 billion in 2024 — a potential 6% decrease. Its latest survey shows that consumers are expected to spend $3.1 billion on candy for Easter this year, or $24.78 per person. That's down from $3.3 billion, or $26.31 per person a year ago.

美国零售联合会预计，美国人在复活节巧克力蛋和巧克力兔上的花费将从2023年的33亿美元降至2024年的31亿美元，降幅可能会达到6%。美国零售联合会的最新调查显示，美国消费者2024年预计在复活节巧克力上的人均花费为24.78美元，而去年同期的人均花费为26.31美元。

重点词汇：

ingenuity

英/ ˌɪndʒəˈnjuːəti / 美/ ˌɪndʒəˈnuːəti /

n.心灵手巧，聪明才智，独创力；精巧的装置；灵活的方法

confectioner

英/ kənˈfekʃənə(r) / 美/ kənˈfekʃənər /

n.糖果制造人；糖果店；甜食商