GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A global cocoa crisis gripped the chocolate industry the last few years, with prices peaking late last year. While they’re starting to ease, the market is still fragile because supply can’t keep up with demand.
On a day when chocolate takes center stage, people filling up on Halloween candy may notice some candy brands that used to say “milk chocolate” now read something like “chocolate candy.” That’s because many companies are quietly cutting back on real chocolate, or swapping it out entirely, to offset costs.
On Friday, last-minute shoppers were feeling the sting of candy prices. Bailey Levanduski was preparing to pass out candy with her mom and spent about $100 to fill her Halloween bowl — more than they expected or wanted to…