Canada continues to be the major exporter of chocolate to the United States.

Mexico is a distant second; once-mighty Brazil and other countries are no longer big players.

The charted values cover mostly wholesale chocolate for the food-service and food-manufacturing industries.

Here “chocolate” comprises chocolate bars and slabs weighing more than two kilograms each, cocoa paste, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder. Popular sweets such as Mars Bars, Kit Kats, and Hershey's Kisses are not included in the data.

The power of NAFTA

The US Department of Agriculture says that “North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico are not only the main destinations for US exports but also the main suppliers of chocolate candy to the US market.”

But does that doesn't necessarily mean that Canada's and Mexico's stronger presence is because of NAFTA—does it? NAFTA took effect in 1994; perhaps a line chart covering the years 1989 through 2014 would reveal some clues. Stay tuned!

Import values of chocolate entering US ports and their origin of shipment, 1989 and 2014
(1989 values were adjusted for inflation.)

$193,400,000 worth of chocolate was imported from CANADA in 1989; $1,177,000,000 was imported in 2014.$30,944,000 worth of chocolate was imported from MEXICO in 1989; $478,000,000 was imported in 2014.$7,736,000 worth of chocolate was imported from INDONESIA in 1989; $251,000,000 was imported in 2014.$42,548,000 worth of chocolate was imported from MALAYSIA in 1989; $185,000,000 was imported in 2014.$71,558,000 worth of chocolate was imported from COTE D'IVOIRE in 1989; $179,000,000 was imported in 2014.$34,812,000 worth of chocolate was imported from GERMANY in 1989; $178,000,000 was imported in 2014.$137,314,000 worth of chocolate was imported from NETHERLANDS in 1989; $169,000,000 was imported in 2014.$36,746,000 worth of chocolate was imported from BELGIUM-LUXEMBOURG in 1989; $131,000,000 was imported in 2014.$13,538,000 worth of chocolate was imported from FRANCE in 1989; $62,000,000 was imported in 2014.$36,746,000 worth of chocolate was imported from SWITZERLAND in 1989; $61,000,000 was imported in 2014.$222,410,000 worth of chocolate was imported from BRAZIL in 1989; $54,000,000 was imported in 2014.$29,009,999.999999996 worth of chocolate was imported from ITALY in 1989; $46,000,000 was imported in 2014.$9,670,000 worth of chocolate was imported from IRELAND in 1989; $37,000,000 was imported in 2014.$3,868,000 worth of chocolate was imported from SPAIN in 1989; $36,000,000 was imported in 2014.$1,934,000 worth of chocolate was imported from INDIA in 1989; $36,000,000 was imported in 2014.$25,142,000 worth of chocolate was imported from PERU in 1989; $29,000,000 was imported in 2014.$40,614,000 worth of chocolate was imported from UNITED KINGDOM in 1989; $24,000,000 was imported in 2014.$34,812,000 worth of chocolate was imported from SINGAPORE in 1989; $24,000,000 was imported in 2014.$52,218,000 worth of chocolate was imported from ECUADOR in 1989; $21,000,000 was imported in 2014.$9,670,000 worth of chocolate was imported from COLOMBIA in 1989; $21,000,000 was imported in 2014.$5,802,000 worth of chocolate was imported from SWEDEN in 1989; $17,000,000 was imported in 2014.$1,934,000 worth of chocolate was imported from AUSTRIA in 1989; $13,000,000 was imported in 2014.$5,802,000 worth of chocolate was imported from ISRAEL in 1989; $12,000,000 was imported in 2014.$21,274,000 worth of chocolate was imported from PHILIPPINES in 1989; $12,000,000 was imported in 2014.$15,472,000 worth of chocolate was imported from CAMEROON in 1989; $12,000,000 was imported in 2014.$17,406,000 worth of chocolate was imported from CHINA in 1989; $12,000,000 was imported in 2014.$9,670,000 worth of chocolate was imported from DOMINICAN REPUBLIC in 1989; $11,000,000 was imported in 2014.$1,934,000 worth of chocolate was imported from DENMARK in 1989; $7,000,000 was imported in 2014.$3,868,000 worth of chocolate was imported from VENEZUELA in 1989; $5,000,000 was imported in 2014.CanadaMexicoIndonesiaMalaysiaCote d'IvoireGermanyNetherlandsBrazil01002003004005006007008009001,0001,1001,200020406080100120140160180200220Value of imported chocolate, in millions, 2014Value of imported chocolate, in millions, 1989

Source: USDA, www.fas.usda.gov/gats