Chocolate maker Hershey Co has requested permission from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to buy an amount of cocoa from the stocks of ICE exchange that is much larger than the maximum allowed,

To mitigate the potential impact from a persistent shortage of supply, Hershey ( NYSE: HSY) has asked the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) for permission to take a position in the futures market that would enable the company to buy a substantial amount of cocoa.

Hershey Co. is asking the US’s top derivatives regulator for permission to buy a huge amount of cocoa through the New York exchange after global shortages sent prices to a record, according to people familiar with the matter.