The Chocolate Underbelly of America

"The Chocolate Underbelly of America," Candyfreak's subtitle, sounds so illicit. At least for me, that goes right along with the whole idea that chocolate is "decadent." But the companies that Steve Almond writes about are, in several cases, family businesses. The contrast sends my thoughts down several different paths:

1) What's so "decadent" about chocolate?

2) Does the subtitle really refer to the small chocolate company, or is "the dark side" of the story the way a multiplicity of local candy makers have been gobbled up or run out of business by the Big Three?