Cacao Seed to Halloween Treat

Cacao Farming & Sourcing

Fact: 70% of the world's cocoa comes from West Africa.

• This is a widely reported statistic in the cocoa industry. Sources like Harvard University's report on chocolate production and articles from Cococlectic confirm that West African countries, primarily Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, produce the majority of the world's cocoa.

Figure: 4.5 million tons of cocoa beans shipped globally each year.

• The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) provides regular statistics on global cocoa production and grindings. Their quarterly bulletins and reports are a primary source for this data, though the exact number can fluctuate yearly based on harvests and demand. For instance, in their November 2024 bulletin, global production was estimated around 4.382 million tonnes.

Chocolate Production

Once the dried cocoa beans arrive at a factory, they begin their transformation into the Halloween candy we all know and love. The process involves several key steps:

1. Roasting: Beans are roasted in large, rotating cylinders to bring out their rich, chocolatey flavor and aroma.(1) This crucial step also kills any bacteria and helps to dry the beans further.
2. Winnowing: The roasted beans are cracked, and their outer shells are removed through a process called winnowing, which uses air to separate the light shells from the heavier cocoa "nibs" (the meat of the bean).(2)
3. Grinding: The cocoa nibs are finely ground into a thick, dark paste known as chocolate liquor (which is non-alcoholic).(3) At this stage, the liquor can be separated into cocoa butter and cocoa powder or used directly to make chocolate.(4)
4. Conching: The chocolate liquor is mixed with other ingredients like sugar, milk powder (for milk chocolate), and more cocoa butter in large agitators.(5) This process, called conching, further refines the texture, making it smooth and creamy while developing deeper flavors.(6)
5. Tempering & Molding: The final mixture is carefully heated and cooled in a process called tempering, which gives the finished chocolate its glossy shine and satisfying snap.(7) It's then poured into molds to create candy bars, spooky shapes, and other Halloween treats before being wrapped and shipped to stores.

Biggest Producers in the USA for Halloween:

The U.S. chocolate market, especially for seasonal holidays like Halloween, is dominated by a few key players who produce the vast majority of the candy you'll find in trick-or-treat bags:

• The Hershey Company: An iconic American company, Hershey is the powerhouse behind many Halloween favorites, including their namesake bars and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.(8)
• Mars, Inc.: This global giant is responsible for some of the world's most famous candies, such as M&M's, Snickers, and Twix, which are all top sellers during the Halloween season.(9)
• Mondelez International: While an international company, its portfolio includes brands like Cadbury, which are popular in the U.S. market.(10)

Top Candy Bars Sold for Halloween:

Year after year, chocolate reigns supreme as the top Halloween treat.(11) Based on sales data and consumer reports, these are consistently the most popular chocolate bars:

1. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups: Often cited as America's #1 Halloween candy.(12)
2. M&M's (Peanut and Regular): These colorful candies are a perennial favorite.
3. Snickers: A satisfying mix of nougat, caramel, and peanuts, making it a trick-or-treat staple.(13)
4. Kit Kat: The crispy wafer and milk chocolate combination is a classic choice.
5. Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar: The original, simple, and always popular.

Halloween Chocolate Consumption

Approximately 90 million pounds of chocolate sold during Halloween season.

• This statistic is frequently cited in articles about Halloween candy sales. For example, Darlene Sand Wall DMD's office and other outlets have reported that approximately ninety million pounds of chocolate are sold during Halloween week.

Over $4 billion spent annually in the USA.

• The National Retail Federation (NRF) is a key source for this data. For 2025, they projected that spending on Halloween candy alone would reach $3.9 billion, with total Halloween spending hitting a record $13.1 billion. Reports from previous years, such as data from ZipDo for 2022, showed candy spending at $3.3 billion, indicating a significant and growing market.

Bibliography

1. "2022 Sweet 60: The Top Candy Companies in North America." Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, Accessed October 13, 2025. https://www.snackandbakery.com/candy-industry/Sweet-60/2022.
2. "America's Most-Ordered Halloween Candy, According to Instacart." Food & Wine, September 23, 2025. https://www.foodandwine.com/most-popular-halloween-candy-in-america-instacart-report-2025-11815120.
3. "The Best Candy to Give Out This Halloween." Twix.com, Accessed October 13, 2025. https://www.twix.com/our-blog/best-halloween-candy.
4. "The Best Halloween Candy of 2025, Ranked." PureWow, September 11, 2025. https://www.purewow.com/food/best-halloween-candy.
5. "Chocolate Making Process: From Bean to Bar." Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland, Accessed October 13, 2025. https://www.culinaryartsswitzerland.com/en/news/chocolate-making-process/.
6. "Cocoa bean - Wikipedia." Wikipedia, Last modified October 4, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoa_bean.
7. "Happy Halloween from Your Kentucky Dentist." Darlene Sand Wall DMD, Accessed October 13, 2025. https://www.darlenesandwalldmd.com/happy-halloween-from-your-kentucky-dentist.
8. "The Hershey Company - Wikipedia." Wikipedia, Accessed October 13, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hershey_Company.
9. "How to Make Chocolate - Chocolate Making Process." Chocolate of the Month Club, Accessed October 13, 2025. https://www.chocolatemonthclub.com/the-chocolate-making-process.
10. "The Journey from Cacao Tree to Cocoa Bean to Chocolate Bar." Queer Chocolatier, May 4, 2021. https://www.queerchocolatier.com/queeringchocolate/2021/5/4/chocolate-journey.
11. "The making of chocolate." Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse, Accessed October 13, 2025. https://www.lechocolat-alainducasse.com/en/chocolate-making.
12. "The No. 1 Halloween Candy In America Might Surprise You." Southern Living, September 23, 2025. https://www.southernliving.com/americas-no-1-halloween-candy-according-to-instacart-11815651.
13. "NRF Consumer Survey Finds Halloween Spending to Reach Record $13.1 Billion." National Retail Federation, September 18, 2025. https://nrf.com/media-center/press-releases/nrf-consumer-survey-finds-halloween-spending-to-reach-record-13-1-billion.
14. "Processing Cocoa." International Cocoa Organization, Accessed October 13, 2025. https://www.icco.org/processing-cocoa/.
15. Šeremet, D., Mandura, A., & Vojvodić, A. "The Chemistry behind Chocolate Production." PubMed Central (PMC), August 30, 2019. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6749277/.
16. "Top Chocolate Manufacturers in the United States: Industry Leaders, Ma." Uncle Fluffy, September 7, 2025. https://unclefluffy.com/blogs/articles/top-chocolate-manufacturers-in-the-united-states-industry-leaders-market-trends-and-a-20k-shortcut.
17. "Top Halloween candies." Various Sources, Accessed October 13, 2025. (Compiled from search results aggregating data from multiple candy ranking articles).