100-year-old St. Paul candy shop says they would rather raise prices than cut chocolate quality

A 100-year-old candy shop in St. Paul says it is sticking with its family recipes this Halloween, even as the cost of chocolate keeps climbing, its new owner says.Tom Saunders took over Regina's Candy in May, carrying on a tradition that has lasted generations."The family motto is there's no skimping on the family recipe," Saunders said.Keeping that promise hasn't been easy. Saunders said that when the shop's ingredient costs go up, it has to raise its prices."We're not going to compromise on quality," he said. "And our customers are happy to pay for that."Cacao, the main ingredient in chocolate, has surged in price over the last few years. Heat waves and heavy rains in West Africa have contributed to crop shortages, and U.S. tariffs have also pushed prices up. Abdallah Candies in Apple Valley is among other Minnesota candy makers that WCCO has reported are facing higher cocoa prices.Americans are expected to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, including $4.1 billion o