These are not the easiest times for candy companies.

These are not the easiest times for candy companies. forward June 13, another major manufacturer, Chicago's Archibald Candy Corp., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Sugar prices await like they'll be propped up by way of the new farm bill for another six years. Larger and larger retailers continue to wield ever-growing clout And while sales data from Information Resources Inc. (IRI) do exhibit to modest gains in most candy categories, the numbers have been better.

Chocolate dollar bulk through food, drug and mass merchandise egresss for the 52 weeks ending Apr. 21 2002 rose 15% to $413 billion, according