This time of the year, the candy aisle at grocery stores gets an eye-popping pink and red makeover. Heart-shaped candy boxes vie for space with cutesy teddy bears holding “I Love You” signs. An estimated $18.2 billion will be spent celebrating the holiday. According to the National Confectioner’s Association, 94 percent of Americans want to receive chocolate or candy for Valentine’s Day and if it comes in a heart-shaped box, then even better.

But there’s a long, disheartening story of the journey from the cocoa bean to the candy box, one of the signature gifts exchanged during Valentine’s Day.
Read more at Relevant…