[jeffrey]

If you love chocolate, get prepared to pay more for your cravings. Hershey Foods announced that it's raising the price of its candy. The nation's largest snack-food company is increasing the wholesale price for standard and king-size chocolate bars by about 6 percent, while the cost of the smaller, packaged bag items such as Hershey's Miniatures will increase by about 4 percent.

The announced increases from Hershey's come after similar increases announced by Mars Inc, which produces Snickers and M&M's candy. The increases are a result of higher fuel prices, higher packaging costs and increases in employee benefits.




The wholesale price increases are expected to be passed along by sellers to customers. While the increases are unlikely to affect chocolate prices this Christmas season, chocolate lovers can expect to pay more when Valentine's Day arrives next February.