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July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Money & Work • Food & Beverage

Hershey

Hershey refers most commonly to The Hershey Company, an American food manufacturer best known for chocolate and sugar-based confectionery.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

Hershey most commonly refers to The Hershey Company, an American food manufacturer known for chocolate and sugar-based confectionery. Founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1894, it is headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

What it is

The Hershey Company is a public company in the food processing and confectionery industry. It began in 1894 as the Hershey Chocolate Company, founded by Milton S. Hershey after earlier work in caramel production. The company is best known for Hershey’s Milk Chocolate and has since expanded into a broader snacking portfolio.

Key details

Hershey’s headquarters are in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a town that developed around its operations. The company is widely recognized as a major American candy brand. Milton S. Hershey is also remembered for his philanthropic role in the community.

Why it matters

Hershey is closely tied to American candy history and remains a dominant player in the North American confectionery market. In Canada, Hershey products are widely available and compete with other major brands, making the company relevant to Canadian consumers through cross-border brand recognition.

In short

  • Founded in 1894 by Milton S. Hershey.
  • Headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
  • Best known for Hershey’s Milk Chocolate.
  • Expanded from chocolate bars into a broader snack lineup.
Canadian angle

Hershey products are widely recognized in Canada as part of North American confectionery culture, and the company is relevant to Canadian consumers through cross-border brand availability and competition in the chocolate and snack market.

Quick questions

What is Hershey?
Hershey usually refers to The Hershey Company, an American manufacturer of chocolate and other confectionery products.
Who founded Hershey?
Milton S. Hershey founded the company in 1894.
Where is Hershey headquartered?
The company is headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States.

Sources

  1. The Hershey Companyhttps://www.thehersheycompany.com/en_us/home/about-us/the-company/history.html
    Supports: Founded in 1894; company history; expansion beyond the original chocolate bar business.
  2. Britannicahttps://www.britannica.com/money/Hershey-Chocolate-Corporation
    Supports: Company description, headquarters in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and status as an American manufacturer of chocolate and sugar-based confections.
  3. EBSCO Research Startershttps://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/business-and-management/hershey-company
    Supports: Founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1894 and development into a broader snack company.
  4. Hershey, PA tourism/history pagehttps://www.hersheypa.com/about-hershey/history/
    Supports: Connection between Milton S. Hershey, the company, and the town of Hershey, Pennsylvania.
  5. The Hershey Companyhttps://www.thehersheycompany.com/en_us/home/newsroom/blog/celebrating-125-years-of-hersheyand-countless-moments-of-goodness.html
    Supports: Company purpose and milestone anniversary context.