While this seems to happen every year, I saw a news story this past month or so, maybe on a financial news channel I'm thinking, talking about how chocolate prices were going to go up and likely affect stock prices of related companies. They gave two reasons for this. One was that the cacoa beans are 70% or close to that grown in an area in Africa which has been experiencing a drought so affecting the crop adversely. Second, the fact that so many more people are eating dark chocolate and chocolate companies are producing more, has also affected the market. Apparently it takes something like two to three times the amount of cacoa beans to produce the darker chocolate compared to milk chocolate and therefore creates a greater demand on a item that is already under stress from production.
Never knew my watching CNBC could come in handy here! Although I've seen some interesting stories done on how TJMaxx/Home Good stores, Pier One, Dollar Tree and 99Cent Only Stores are doing, all halloween shoppers favorites!