About this episode
This episode explores the history and impact of Milton Hershey and the Hershey chocolate empire.
This month's Family Fun Friday episode focuses on Hershey. The story of the Hershey chocolate empire centers heavily on the perseverance and philanthropy of its founder, Milton Hershey. Before achieving global success, Hershey faced multiple business bankruptcies before finding his first major triumph with the Lancaster Caramel Company in 1886. In 1900, he sold the caramel enterprise for one million dollars to pivot entirely toward large-scale milk chocolate manufacturing, constructing the world's largest chocolate plant in Derry Township, Pennsylvania. Around this facility, Hershey built a model industrial town designed to optimize his workers' quality of life with affordable housing and extensive public amenities. This community became synonymous with legendary confectionery innovations, most notably Hershey’s Kisses, which were introduced in 1907 and named after the unique smacking sound the extrusion machinery made against the conveyor belt. The town's connection to the candy remains visible through the alternating wrapped and unwrapped Kiss-shaped streetlights installed along Chocolate Avenue in 1963. Furthermore, Hershey’s legacy persists through the Milton Hershey School…
People in this episode
Host: Kyle Wood
Topics covered
- Hershey chocolate
- Milton Hershey
- philanthropy
- industrial town
- candy history
Keywords
- Hershey
- chocolate
- Milton Hershey
- philanthropy
- candy
- industrial town
- Hershey's Kisses
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Lancaster Caramel Company, Milton Hershey School
Products: Hershey’s Kisses
Places: Derry Township, Pennsylvania
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