Updated July 2014 | By Matthew Christopher
After selling his caramel business in Lancaster, Milton Hershey began construction of the original Hershey Chocolate Factory in 1903 in Derry Church, PA, a town that would later come to be named Hershey after him. Despite some brutal strikes in the 1930s, Hershey was known for his philanthropy and his dedication to improving the lives of his workers, a legacy that has inspired fierce loyalty in many even to this day. Many area attractions, including Hersheypark, Hershey Gardens, the Hershey Theater, and the Hershey Museum, were founded for the enjoyment of his workers and are still in operation currently. Milton Hershey also established the Hershey Industrial School (later renamed the Milton Hershey School) for orphaned boys as he and his wife were unable to have children of their own. The Hershey Company provided chocolate bar rations to troops during World War II and this chocolate served as the genesis of Mars Inc.'s famous M&Ms. M&Ms used Hershey chocolate during rationing and were created in collaboration between the president of Hershey's son and Frederick Mars.
In the decades that followed, Hershey Chocolate grew exponentially in size and the original factory complex added many buildings, becoming a dense maze of hallways, vats, and pipes that created the eponymous chocolate bars, Hershey's Kisses, chocolate syrup, and a myriad of other products that came and went as other companies were acquired and candy lines were introduced and discontinued. Milton Hershey passed away in 1945, leaving the Milton Hershey School Trust with a controlling interest in the Hershey Company, as well as ownership of Chocolate World and Hershey Entertainment and Resorts, which in turn owns Hersheypark. The original factory housed all production until 1963, when a factory in Smith Falls, Ontario opened, followed by one in Oakdale, CA in 1965.
Controversies beset the Hershey Company in the new millennium. These included legal disputes over the calling candy 'milk chocolate' when vegetable oils replaced cocoa butter and milk substitutes were used, a dismissed price-fixing suit, Hershey's refusal to adopt fair trade practices (including measures to prevent child labor), use of the MHS Trust as a "GOP slush fund", and an ugly incident involving the foreign exchange students who had paid to see the country and were instead placed in exploitative conditions in the Palmyra plant.
By far the most controversial was the closure of the Smith Falls and Oakdale plants in 2008 to move production to new facilities in Monterey, Mexico and another production facility in Brazil. Angered by the move, many consumers boycotted Hershey. The original factory in Hershey was closed in 2012, ostensibly to move production to a newly expanded West Hershey plant, where Hershey Kisses and other products are still manufactured. According to a Pennlive article, the West Hershey facility is the "largest and most sophisticated in the world", however the article goes on to state, "In recent years, Hershey has shifted production to Mexico and carried out a global restructuring that eliminated about 1,500 North American jobs, including about 800 in the midstate." Demolition began on the original factory in 2013.
One reader, Brian Refford, offered what I thought was an informative and balanced assessment:
"I live within sight of the smokestacks, and I had a part-time job as security at the original 19 E. Chocolate Avenue factory [while] it was being demolished. It was upsetting to see the old factory destroyed. Of the 25 buildings that comprised the old factory, twenty were demolished. Five are currently being re-purposed as office space. Production ceased in January 2012, but most of the buildings had not been used for years, and were in very poor condition. Hershey stopped smelling of chocolate the day production was stopped. Most of the production was shifted to the recently expanded West Hershey plant - originally built in 1991 - not Mexico. Employees were given the option of early retirement, and those with seniority could choose to work at the West Hershey plant. Those with less than 15 years service were simply let go. Hershey does produce chocolate and other confections around the world, and has for decades. There were several buildings that could have been saved - buildings 24, 25, 34, and the Engineering Building were well-built reinforced concrete and limestone buildings that were irreplaceable."
In contrast to Brian's statement, personally I did not think the original buildings appeared to be in very poor condition overall. However in some ways this is irrelevant as upgrading the means of production is also a significant factor and I am not an engineer so I have little insight there. One way or another, the original factory was demolished within a year of closing. On one hand there are areas that may have been unable to be easily repurposed due in part to the density and specificity of the complex. On the other, it seems that a year is a very short amount of time to try to find alternate uses and my guess is that was never seriously considered. If it had been important to the company to save it, they would have made more of an open and transparent effort to do so. The actual demolition had begun within a year, which means that the process had been started much earlier, as permits and contracts for such an enormous project don't happen overnight. However, some locals have raised the counterargument that tearing down the factory was the only responsible move and that had the company not done so, it would have become an abandoned eyesore like many other closed production facilities.
I spent several years growing up in Hershey. The factory, and Milton Hershey himself, were near mythical local fixtures and the very reason for the town's existence. While the Hershey Company and the MHS Trust that runs it own the factory, it was a huge part of the community too, and it was a very sad experience for many to watch it be destroyed. On a personal level it was possibly the most difficult place I've photographed the erasure of. No matter how you feel about the shifts in production means and location or whether the demolition of the plant was necessary or not, it marked the end of an era for the company itself, the town, and Hershey's legacy. When I photographed it, I wasn't there to create some political polemic, I was there to say goodbye.
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FAQs
The original Hershey Chocolate factory closed this spring after 107 years of service. Chocolate making is still in Hershey as operations were moved down the street to the newly expanded West Hershey plant. The original factory and its iconic smokestacks will remain part of the Hershey landscape.
What challenges did Hershey overcome to make his chocolates? ›
Hershey didn't succeed at first. He faced challenges, such as; he didn't get a good education, he failed at making candy, and he was stopped by sad things. First, Milton Hershey didn't get a very good education. He dropped out of school when he was just twelve years old, which was right after fourth grade.
Why did Hershey workers strike in 1937? ›
After unionizing most of the factory under the United Chocolate Workers Union, Hershey workers got a small pay raise. But then Hershey laid off many of the strike organizers. Though it was only weeks old, the union decided to strike. The strike began on April 2, 1937.
Is the original Hershey factory still standing? ›
The original factory in Hershey was closed in 2012 to move production to a newly expanded West Hershey plant, where Hershey Kisses and other products are still manufactured.
Is Hershey chocolate still made in the USA? ›
Today, The Hershey Company is still headquartered in Hershey, PA with additional state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities across the U.S. and around the world.
Does Hershey smell like chocolate? ›
We stopped her for an hour on our way home from Baltimore.
How did Hershey treat his employees? ›
Unlike Carnegie, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt and the other cold-blooded "robber-barons" who offered their workers callous treatment and back-breaking labor for menial wages, Mr Hershey offered his employees dignity and prosperity, inspiring bounteous love and loyalty in his workers and making himself wildly rich in the ...
Why would people today want to invest in the Hershey company? ›
Hershey has a strong track record of performing well during times of low consumer confidence, which makes the stock an attractive option in the current, turbulent market environment. Its safe and sustainable dividend payments at a fair price could be appealing for dividend and dividend growth investors.
Why was Hershey so successful? ›
Hershey, a man with steadfast convictions and an insatiable curiosity, turned his story from rags to riches by persevering, eventually selling his caramel company for $1 million to devote all his energies to making chocolate.
What is the meaning of sit down strike? ›
a strike during which workers occupy their place of employment and refuse to work or allow others to work until the strike is settled. Also called: sit-down, sit-in.
Company Culture at The Hershey Company
83% of employees at The Hershey Company say it is a great place to work compared to 57% of employees at a typical U.S.-based company. Source: Great Place to Work® 2021 Global Employee Engagement Study.
How much did Milton Hershey pay his workers? ›
The corporation reported it would raise wages to 60 cents/hour for men and 45 cents/hour for women. After the initial agreement, Hershey laid off some union organizers as part of what company president William Murrie said to be part of seasonal cutbacks.
Is Hershey World closing? ›
(WHTM) — A beloved film and a Chocolate World staple is closing on Labor Day to make room for a new experience for the attraction's 50th anniversary. According to a release, the 4D Chocolate Movie will be closing on Labor Day to make room for a bigger experience in 2023.
Does Hershey family still own Hershey? ›
It was founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1894 as the Hershey Chocolate Company, which is a subsidiary of his Lancaster Caramel Company. The Hershey Trust Company owns a minority stake but retains a majority of the voting power within the company.
Is Hershey candy made in China? ›
Hershey has reached capacity at its current plant in China that it holds in a joint venture with Korean firm Lotte and plans another factory somewhere in Asia.
When was a Hershey bar 5 cents? ›
Hershey Chocolate Company began marketing its standard size chocolate bars for a nickel ($. 05) in 1900, setting a standard for the United States confectionery industry that continued until 1969.
Where are Kit Kats made? ›
Kit Kat bars are produced in 16 countries by Nestlé: Brazil, Mexico, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Germany, Russia, Japan, China, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, and Algeria.
Where is the sweetest place on earth? ›
Today, the Hershey community calls itself “The Sweetest Place on Earth” and has several attractions. Hersheypark has 70 rides, including its newest roller coaster, Candymonium. The chocolate-making process is replicated at Hershey's Chocolate World, which was built in the 1970s to replace the plant tours.
Why do Hershey kisses taste different? ›
Actually, Hershey's bars are milk chocolates that do not taste like regular sweet Milk Chocolate because Hershey's is famous for the specific taste in their chocolate. However, Hershey's Kisses are in a way sweeter than the bars, probably due to the smaller size, and maybe a different amount of sugar included in them.
Why does milk chocolate taste bitter to me? ›
Dysgeusia is a taste disorder. People with the condition feel that all foods taste sour, sweet, bitter or metallic. Dysgeusia can be caused by many different factors, including infection, some medications and vitamin deficiencies.
The Hershey Company Jobs by Hourly Rate
| Job Title | Range | Average |
|---|
| Electrical Technician | Range:$21 - $38 (Estimated *) | Average:$28 |
| Production Operator | Range:$13 - $23 (Estimated *) | Average:$17 |
| Sr. Administrative Assistant | Range:$14 - $24 (Estimated *) | Average:$19 |
| Warehouse Associate | Range:$11 - $19 (Estimated *) | Average:$14 |
2 more rows30 Aug 2022
Hershey made a true assembly-line operation, with machines and conveyor belts dominating the process (Coe and Coe, 1996). Hershey was therefore able to lower the cost of producing chocolate, and make it more affordable to everyday people.
What was Hershey's first name? ›
Is Hershey a good investment? ›
Hershey Co's trailing 12-month revenue is $9.7 billion with a 16.8% profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 19.3%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $8.181 per share for the current fiscal year. Hershey Co currently has a 1.9% dividend yield.
Can you invest in Hershey? ›
The Hershey Company offers a Direct Stock Purchase/Dividend Reinvestment Plan through its agent, Computershare.
Does Hershey's pay a dividend? ›
Historical dividend payout and yield for Hershey (HSY) since 1989. The current TTM dividend payout for Hershey (HSY) as of September 27, 2022 is $4.14. The current dividend yield for Hershey as of September 27, 2022 is 1.85%.
What is the oldest candy that is still around? ›
Good & Plenty is believed to be the oldest candy brand in the USA. The pink-and-white capsule-shaped chewy licorice was first produced in 1893 in Philadelphia. It's still found at concession stands everywhere, which makes Good & Plenty a treat that can be enjoyed by candy lovers of all ages.
What is the oldest candy bar? ›
1 Fry's Chocolate Cream Bar
In 1866, Fry began mass producing Fry's Chocolate Cream Bar, the world's first proper candy bar, in his family's chocolate factory.
How much milk is used by Hershey's every day? ›
Its main plant uses about 700,000 quarts of milk each day, the storage silos at the plant hold 90 million pounds of cocoa beans, the company puts out 60 million Hershey kisses each day and Hershey Chocolate is the largest single user of almonds in the country.
Why are sit-down strikes illegal? ›
Strikes unlawful because of misconduct of strikers.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a “sitdown” strike, when employees simply stay in the plant and refuse to work, thus depriving the owner of property, is not protected by the law.
Sit-down strikes became a favorite tactic of unions during the 1930s. The basic idea was for workers to stop what they were doing on the assembly line and bring all production to a halt. The workers then, in effect, occupied the factory. This lessened the chance of strike-breakers taking over their jobs.
When were sit-down strikes made illegal? ›
On this day, February 27, in 1939, the Supreme Court decided in the case of NLRB v. Fansteel Metallurgical Coorp. that sit-down-strikes, where the strikers occupy their stations, preventing replacement workers from taking over, were essentially illegal.
Do Hershey employees get a discount? ›
Discounts. As a Hershey Company Retiree, you are eligible for the following discounts. You will receive a 25% discount on food and retail items (candy, merchandise, etc).
Whats it like to work for Hershey? ›
A typical day at Hershey consist of meetings about safety, production procedures, and profits. Management at the Hershey company are friendly and put a lot of energy into their roles. The hardest part of the job is the overtime hours required to satisfy the high demand.
How many employees work for Hershey? ›
Hershey total number of employees in 2020 was 16,880, a 4.58% increase from 2019. Hershey total number of employees in 2019 was 16,140, a 1.71% decline from 2018.
...
Compare HSY With Other Stocks.
| Hershey Annual Number of Employees |
|---|
| 2020 | 16,880 |
| 2019 | 16,140 |
| 2018 | 16,420 |
| 2017 | 16,910 |
9 more rowsHershey, whose two out of seven U.S. plants are unionized, also said most people who left the plant said they did so due to a lack of time-off rather than pay.
Who owned Hershey after Milton died? ›
On October 5, 1944 he announced that he was resigning as chair of the Hershey Chocolate, Hershey Trust Company, and Hershey Industrial School Boards. To succeed him Mr. Hershey chose Percy Alexander (P.A.) Staples, a man little known in the Hershey community but who had managed Hershey's Cuban holdings since 1921.
What was Milton Hershey's first successful product? ›
A Mixed Bag of Chocolate
In the early days, Hershey found most of his success with his simple chocolate bar, but even in 1896, his company produced more than 114 different products. However, many of these products were also sold by rival companies, so to set himself apart, Hershey began innovating once again.
Is Reese's chocolate Hershey's? ›
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are an American candy consisting of a chocolate cup filled with peanut butter, marketed by The Hershey Company. They were created on November 15, 1928, by H. B. Reese, a former dairy farmer and shipping foreman for Milton S. Hershey.
How many Hershey Kisses are made each day? ›
KISSES Chocolates Fun Facts & Legends
We are not exactly sure how many KISSES Chocolates are eaten each year, but we make 70 million of them each day!
Skittles are multicolored fruit-flavored button-shaped candies produced and marketed by the Wrigley Company, a division of Mars, Inc. Vitamin A equiv.
Is the original Hershey factory still open? ›
The original factory in Hershey was closed in 2012 to move production to a newly expanded West Hershey plant, where Hershey Kisses and other products are still manufactured.
Why is Hershey Park closing early? ›
Hersheypark's Springtime in the Park opens Saturday, April 6, 2019. In an effort to "ensure more family rides, thrilling coasters and water attractions are available each day," Hersheypark is cutting short its night hours, starting on Monday, July 13.
Is Hersheypark Open 2022? ›
Hersheypark amusem*nt park kicks off daily summer operations today, May 26, 2022. Two new Jolly Rancher attraction experiences that can only exist in Hersheypark and The Boardwalk At Hersheypark water park will officially open on May 28, 2022.
Does Hershey own Kitkat? ›
In the United States, Kit Kat is made by H.B. Reese, which is a division of Hershey. Although Rowntree's trademarked the name in 1911, it didn't begin producing the four-finger bar until 1935.
Is Nestle and Hershey the same company? ›
The Hershey Company is one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in the world but produces baked goods and drinks as well. Nestle is a Swiss company that was founded in 1866 by Henri Nestle and was created by a merger with Anglo-Swiss Milk Company in 1905. Their headquarters is in Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland.
Who owns the most Hershey stock? ›
Top 10 Owners of Hershey Co
| Stockholder | Stake | Shares owned |
|---|
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | 9.32% | 13,684,054 |
| BlackRock Fund Advisors | 6.76% | 9,921,034 |
| SSgA Funds Management, Inc. | 4.89% | 7,181,540 |
| Renaissance Technologies LLC | 2.50% | 3,671,367 |
6 more rowsIt may be that the smell of success just isn't as fragrant as chocolate. But rest assured. They still make chocolate in Hershey.
Does Hershey family still own Hershey? ›
It was founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1894 as the Hershey Chocolate Company, which is a subsidiary of his Lancaster Caramel Company. The Hershey Trust Company owns a minority stake but retains a majority of the voting power within the company.
Is Hershey Chocolate World closing? ›
(WHTM) — A beloved film and a Chocolate World staple is closing on Labor Day to make room for a new experience for the attraction's 50th anniversary. According to a release, the 4D Chocolate Movie will be closing on Labor Day to make room for a bigger experience in 2023.
The Hershey Area
There's a lot to see and do in and around the sweet town of Hershey, PA.
Is Hershey world free? ›
Is it free to enter HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE WORLD Attraction? Yes, admission into HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE WORLD and our famous HERSHEY'S Chocolate Tour ride are free year-round and do not require tickets. All other attractions within the facility require a paid ticket.
Does Hersheypark sell alcohol? ›
Sip on a refreshing craft beer or frozen malt beverage at our all-new drink stop. Plus, enjoy local favorites including a rotating selection of Troegs beer. Brews at 1906SM Grill is located in the Founder's WaySM region.
When was a Hershey bar 5 cents? ›
Hershey Chocolate Company began marketing its standard size chocolate bars for a nickel ($. 05) in 1900, setting a standard for the United States confectionery industry that continued until 1969.
Did China buy Hershey's? ›
Hershey Buys Chinese Chocolate Company For $584 Million The candy company based in Hershey, Pa., bought Shanghai Golden Monkey on Thursday.
Does Hershey own Kitkat? ›
In the United States, Kit Kat is made by H.B. Reese, which is a division of Hershey. Although Rowntree's trademarked the name in 1911, it didn't begin producing the four-finger bar until 1935.
Why is Hershey Park closing early? ›
Hersheypark's Springtime in the Park opens Saturday, April 6, 2019. In an effort to "ensure more family rides, thrilling coasters and water attractions are available each day," Hersheypark is cutting short its night hours, starting on Monday, July 13.
Is Hersheypark Open 2022? ›
Hersheypark amusem*nt park kicks off daily summer operations today, May 26, 2022. Two new Jolly Rancher attraction experiences that can only exist in Hersheypark and The Boardwalk At Hersheypark water park will officially open on May 28, 2022.
Is Hershey Park open all year? ›
Our Story. Hersheypark® was originally created by Milton S. Hershey as leisure grounds for employees of Hershey's Chocolate Factory. Today, our family theme park welcomes guests from around the world to experience Hersheypark Happy® all year long!
Is Hershey real chocolate? ›
Hershey's is real chocolate. They use about 30% of cocoa in chocolate. Since the FDA considers milk chocolate everything that contains 10% of cocoa, Hershey's chocolate is real. However, they have had some changes in terms of used cocoa, so now they are labeled as “chocolate candy”.
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are an American candy consisting of a chocolate cup filled with peanut butter, marketed by The Hershey Company. They were created on November 15, 1928, by H. B. Reese, a former dairy farmer and shipping foreman for Milton S. Hershey.
How many Hershey Kisses are made each day? ›
KISSES Chocolates Fun Facts & Legends
We are not exactly sure how many KISSES Chocolates are eaten each year, but we make 70 million of them each day!
