Enna Chocolate Owner Cites 50% Tariff on Holiday Supplies

Enna Grazier, owner of New Hampshire chocolate maker Enna Chocolate, said a 50% tariff on some holiday packaging and ingredients she planned to buy from Canadian suppliers disrupted her preparations ahead of Halloween.

Grazier said she had to look elsewhere for supplies and rethink some packaging plans. “I've had to look elsewhere or get creative with some of my packaging needs for this holiday season, and that's super frustrating,” she said.

Global cocoa production is rebounding after drought and heavy rain damaged harvests in regions including West Africa. David Branch, sector manager with the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute, said the recovery has not quickly lowered the prices consumers pay because chocolate production takes time. “The candy on the shelves right now — chocolate candy — that cocoa was purchased in 2025,” Branch said. He described chocolate prices as “sticky” because retail prices adjust slowly when cocoa costs change.

Other pressures on manufacturers include sugar costs, fuel expenses tied to the war in Iran and imports affected by U.S. tariffs. Candy makers have expanded gummy and sour options and introduced products without pricier chocolate, including KitKat’s marshmallow-flavored Witch’s Brew and Reese’s White Ghosts coated in white creme.

Candy and gum prices rose 7.7% in the 12 months ending in September 2026, compared with a 1.8% increase in food-at-home prices over the same period. The candy increase was 5.9 percentage points higher. That inflation window differs from sales figures through Oct. 15, when a separate comparison showed lower candy volumes alongside higher unit prices.

Over several years, chocolate candy dollar sales have increased even as shoppers bought less chocolate. That longer trend differs from the year-over-year comparison through Oct. 15, which showed lower dollar sales and volume in both candy categories.

The National Retail Federation projects U.S. Halloween spending at a record $13.5 billion in 2026, up 3% from last year, with average spending of $115 per person. The projection reflects planned purchases rather than completed sales.