COVID-19 Impact:
In the early months of the pandemic, the halt on sugar and chocolate processing plants had a huge impact on food demand. For example, in reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, The Hershey Company voluntarily shut down all of its manufacturing facilities from March 16 to March 29, 2020.
During the lockdown, supply chain disruptions, labour shortages, trade sanctions, and shipping and logistics fluctuations were all experienced. According to the CEO of the National Confectioners' Association (NCA), consumers ate more meals at home during the quarantine period, reduced their supermarket visits, and increased their satisfaction levels with online shopping.