Hershey Chocolate Corporation

Founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1894, the Hershey Chocolate Company began as a chocolate business tied to his success in caramel. After selling the Lancaster Caramel Company, Hershey focused on making chocolate for a broad audience, and by 1900 the company had introduced its first milk chocolate bar. Over time, the business became one of the most recognizable names in American confectionery.

The company is closely linked with Hershey, Pennsylvania, the town Milton Hershey helped build around his factories. That connection is a big part of its identity: Hershey’s business history is tied not just to candy, but also to housing, community development, and the Milton Hershey School, a charitable school supported through the founder’s legacy.

Today, The Hershey Company is known for expanding well beyond its original chocolate bars into a wider snack portfolio. Even so, its public image still rests heavily on the same idea that shaped its beginnings: making familiar treats at a scale large enough to reach everyday customers across the country and beyond.