CLEVELAND — It may still feel early for Christmas shopping, but chocolate makers are already bracing for a holiday crunch.

At Malley’s Chocolates, shelves are stocked and workers are busy prepping for the fall season. But the company says the real rush is still ahead.

“This next season is huge for us at Malley’s,” said Megan Gillum, president of Malley's. “Christmas is one of our top moments. So between Christmas and Easter we sell a lot of product.”

The Cleveland-based candy shop has been in business for 90 years, weathering everything from recessions to ingredient shortages. Gillum said Malley’s has had to adapt to changes in global cocoa prices to keep chocolate both premium and affordable.

This year, cocoa is the bitter ingredient in the mix. A majority of the world’s beans are gro

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