Chocolate Sales Surge During Pandemic If you've eaten more chocolate during the pandemic, you're not alone. The National Confectioners Association announced a spike in demand for chocolate during the COVID-19 crisis. Chocolate sales surpassed all other candy from March through August. While the overall candy market grew by 3.8 percent, non-premium chocolate expanded by 5.5 percent and premium chocolate sales rose by 12.5 percent. What have you eaten more of during the pandemic?