Questions About Hershey
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About the Movie
What is the HERSHEY movie about?
HERSHEY tells the true story of Milton S. Hershey and his wife, Catherine “Kitty” Hershey. The film follows Milton from repeated business failures to extraordinary success and shows how his partnership with Kitty ultimately led them to build a legacy devoted to helping children.
About the Movie
Is HERSHEY based on a true story?
Yes. HERSHEY is based on the lives of Milton S. Hershey and Catherine “Kitty” Sweeney Hershey, the couple behind the Hershey chocolate company and the school that became Milton Hershey School.
About the Movie
Is HERSHEY a documentary?
No. HERSHEY is a scripted feature film in which actors portray Milton Hershey, Kitty Hershey, and the people around them. It dramatizes nearly five decades of their lives.
About the Movie
Is HERSHEY a biographical movie?
Yes. The film is a historical biographical drama about Milton and Kitty Hershey, with particular focus on Milton’s entrepreneurial journey, their marriage, and the legacy they created together.
About the Movie
How much of Milton Hershey’s life does the movie cover?
HERSHEY spans nearly five decades, beginning in the early 1870s and continuing into the late 1910s. It follows Milton from his youth and early failures through business success and the creation of the Hersheys’ enduring philanthropic legacy.
About the Movie
Is HERSHEY mainly about chocolate?
Chocolate is an important part of the story, but the movie is ultimately about much more. It follows the marriage, perseverance, generosity, and shared vision that led Milton and Kitty Hershey to devote their fortune to helping children.
About the Movie
Is HERSHEY about the founding of The Hershey Company?
Milton Hershey’s rise as a candymaker is a major part of the film, including his failures and eventual success. The larger story follows what Milton and Kitty chose to do with that success once they had achieved it.
About the Movie
What period of American history is HERSHEY set in?
The story stretches from the early 1870s through the late 1910s, covering a period of dramatic industrial and social change in the United States.
About the Movie
Where does HERSHEY take place?
The story is deeply rooted in Pennsylvania, where Milton and Kitty Hershey built their lives, business, community, and school. The production was also filmed extensively in Pennsylvania to preserve that connection.
About the Movie
Why was a movie made about Milton Hershey?
The filmmakers saw a larger story behind the famous chocolate name: a man who failed repeatedly before succeeding and a couple who ultimately used their success to improve the lives of generations of children.
Story and Characters
Who is the main character in HERSHEY?
Milton S. Hershey is one of the film’s two central figures. The movie follows his development from an ambitious young candymaker into a successful entrepreneur whose definition of success eventually expands far beyond business.
Story and Characters
Who is Kitty Hershey in the movie?
Catherine “Kitty” Hershey is Milton Hershey’s wife and full partner in the story. The film presents her as intelligent, witty, independent, and instrumental in shaping the couple’s greatest legacy.
Story and Characters
Is Kitty Hershey an important character in HERSHEY?
Yes. The filmmakers intentionally place Kitty near the center of the story rather than treating her simply as Milton’s wife. Her compassion for children and influence on Milton help shape the creation of the school that becomes their greatest legacy.
Story and Characters
Is HERSHEY a love story?
The marriage between Milton and Kitty Hershey is central to the film. Director Mark Waters has described their relationship as the emotional heart of the movie, with Kitty helping expand Milton’s ambitions into a larger vision for their lives.
Story and Characters
Does HERSHEY show Milton Hershey failing before he succeeds?
Yes. Milton’s repeated business failures are an important part of the story. His refusal to give up becomes one of the defining characteristics of his journey.
Story and Characters
Does the movie show Milton Hershey as a child?
Yes. The screenplay includes scenes from Milton’s childhood, including material exploring his relationship with his father.
Story and Characters
Who is Henry Hershey?
Henry Hershey is Milton’s father. In the film, his ambitions, failures, and eventual abandonment of the family cast a long shadow over Milton’s own ideas about success and responsibility.
Story and Characters
Who is Joseph Royer?
Joseph Royer is the Lancaster confectioner who gives a teenage Milton Hershey his first job in candy-making. That apprenticeship becomes a formative step in Milton’s eventual career.
Story and Characters
Who is Tobias Thornhill?
Tobias Thornhill is a rival candymaker played by David Costabile. Unlike Milton and Kitty Hershey, Thornhill is a fictional composite character created to dramatize the business competition Milton faced.
Story and Characters
Who is Margaret in HERSHEY?
Margaret is Kitty Hershey’s close friend and confidante. She provides companionship, perspective, and some of the film’s lighter personal moments.
Story and Characters
Does Kitty Hershey become ill in the movie?
Yes. Kitty’s illness becomes an important turning point in the story, challenging Milton’s relentless optimism and deepening the couple’s thinking about what they want their lives and fortune to accomplish.
Story and Characters
Did Milton and Kitty Hershey have children?
Milton and Kitty were unable to have children of their own. Their concern for children instead became central to the legacy they created through the school they established.
Story and Characters
Does HERSHEY focus on Milton and Kitty’s marriage?
Yes. The film treats their marriage as one of the forces shaping Milton’s life and legacy. Kitty is portrayed as his partner and conscience rather than as a background figure in his success.
Story and Characters
Does the movie show the creation of Milton Hershey School?
Yes. The school is crucial to the film because it represents the transformation of Milton and Kitty’s success into something meant to benefit future generations of children.
Story and Characters
What is the biggest change Milton Hershey goes through in the movie?
Milton begins as a man intensely focused on succeeding in business. His relationship with Kitty and their experiences together broaden his understanding of success until building something for others becomes more important than simply building wealth.
Themes & Family
Is HERSHEY a family movie?
Yes. HERSHEY is a broad theatrical story families can experience together, centered on perseverance, marriage, generosity, children, and legacy. Grandparents, parents, and kids can all enjoy it together, from proven filmmakers. It’s directed by Mark Waters, the director of Freaky Friday and Mean Girls, and it’s rated PG for some thematic elements and brief language. It’s something sweet for every generation.
Themes & Family
Is HERSHEY a good movie to see with your family?
Yes. Family is a major part of the film’s intended audience and message. Angel describes Milton and Kitty’s story as one that belongs to families because it explores failure, resilience, building something meaningful, and ultimately giving it away for the benefit of others.
Themes & Family
Is HERSHEY a good Thanksgiving movie?
Yes. The film opens Thanksgiving weekend, and the film’s distributor, Angel, specifically chose the Thanksgiving release window because the story centers on family, gratitude, and giving. Thanksgiving is also a time of year when highly anticipated movies with blockbuster potential are released.
Themes & Family
Is HERSHEY about gratitude?
Gratitude is part of the film’s Thanksgiving positioning. The story asks what people do with success once they have received it and follows Milton and Kitty as they turn their good fortune outward toward others.
Themes & Family
Is HERSHEY about giving?
Yes. Giving is one of the clearest ideas in the film. Milton becomes enormously successful, but his lasting legacy comes from directing his fortune toward a school created to help children in need.
Themes & Family
Is HERSHEY about generosity?
Yes. The film contrasts accumulating wealth with using wealth to improve other people’s lives. The Hersheys’ philanthropy ultimately becomes more important to the story than the chocolate business itself.
Themes & Family
Is HERSHEY about perseverance?
Perseverance is one of the film’s central themes. Milton fails repeatedly in business but continues trying until he eventually finds success.
Themes & Family
Is HERSHEY about second chances?
Yes. Milton’s story is built around recovering from failure, and the school he and Kitty create extends that idea by providing new opportunities to children who need them.
Themes & Family
Is HERSHEY about the American Dream?
The filmmakers describe Milton Hershey’s rise from limited means and little formal education to entrepreneurial success as a distinctly American story. The film then complicates that dream by asking what success is worth if it is never shared.
Themes & Family
Is HERSHEY about entrepreneurship?
Yes. Milton Hershey’s determination to become a successful candymaker drives much of the film, including his repeated failures and eventual breakthroughs.
Themes & Family
Is HERSHEY about philanthropy?
Yes. Milton and Kitty’s decision to create a home and school for children in need becomes the defining achievement of their story.
Themes & Family
Is HERSHEY about finding purpose?
The film connects Milton’s business success with a larger search for purpose. His achievements become meaningful in a different way once he and Kitty begin thinking about what their resources can accomplish for other people.
Themes & Family
Is HERSHEY an inspirational movie?
The film was developed as a hopeful story about learning from failure, building a meaningful partnership, and leaving something behind that continues helping people long after you are gone.
Themes & Family
Is HERSHEY a religious or faith-based movie?
The real Milton Hershey grew up in a Mennonite community, while Kitty was raised Catholic. However, the production materials position HERSHEY primarily around perseverance, love, generosity, entrepreneurship, and legacy rather than describing it as a faith-based film.
Themes & Family
What should parents know about HERSHEY before taking children?
The story includes repeated failure, difficult family relationships, Kitty’s illness, and other emotional adversity. HERSHEY is rated PG for some thematic elements and brief language.
The Real Hersheys
Who was Milton Hershey?
Milton S. Hershey was an American entrepreneur who built a successful confectionery business after repeated failures and eventually created the chocolate company associated with his name. He later devoted much of his fortune to supporting a school for children in need.
The Real Hersheys
Where did Milton Hershey grow up?
Milton Hershey grew up in a Mennonite community in rural Pennsylvania.
The Real Hersheys
Did Milton Hershey have much formal education?
No. The production notes describe him as growing up poor with relatively little formal education before eventually becoming one of America’s notable entrepreneurs.
The Real Hersheys
Did Milton Hershey really fail in business?
Yes. Milton experienced repeated business failures before finding success, a fact he later openly acknowledged when reflecting on his early career.
The Real Hersheys
What was Milton Hershey’s first major business success?
Milton found major success with the Lancaster Caramel Company before later becoming known for Hershey’s milk chocolate.
The Real Hersheys
What lesson did Milton Hershey learn from his mother?
Milton’s mother, Veronica “Fanny” Hershey, taught him to stick with a task until he had seen it through. The film’s production notes identify that persistence as a lesson he carried throughout his life.
The Real Hersheys
Who was Catherine “Kitty” Sweeney Hershey?
Kitty Hershey was Milton Hershey’s wife and partner. Raised by Irish immigrant parents, she became an important influence on Milton’s life and helped inspire the couple’s commitment to children in need.
The Real Hersheys
What was Kitty Hershey’s background?
Kitty was raised in a Catholic household by Irish immigrant parents. Before and during her marriage, her experiences helping people in need influenced the charitable vision she and Milton eventually shared.
The Real Hersheys
How did Milton and Kitty Hershey meet?
Milton Hershey met Catherine “Kitty” Sweeney in 1897 at A.D. Work’s Confectionery in Jamestown, New York. Milton was traveling for his caramel business, while Kitty was at the confectionery with friends. The meeting began a courtship, and they married the following year.
The Real Hersheys
When did Milton and Kitty Hershey get married?
Milton and Kitty married in 1898.
The Real Hersheys
What inspired Kitty Hershey to help children?
Kitty volunteered with the Lancaster Charity Society and saw how severely children could suffer when their families lacked resources. Those experiences helped shape the idea of establishing a home and school for children in need.
The Real Hersheys
Was the school originally Kitty Hershey’s idea?
Milton referred to the concept as “Kitty’s idea.” Her charitable work and concern for vulnerable children were significant influences on the school the couple eventually established together.
The Real Hersheys
When did Milton and Kitty Hershey establish their school?
Milton and Kitty signed the Deed of Trust establishing the Hershey Industrial School in 1909.
The Real Hersheys
What was Milton Hershey School originally called?
The school was originally established as the Hershey Industrial School. It later became Milton Hershey School.
The Real Hersheys
Did Milton Hershey really give away his company?
In 1918, Milton placed his controlling interest in the Hershey Chocolate Company into a trust for the benefit of the school. That decision became one of the defining acts of his legacy.
The Real Hersheys
When did people learn that Milton Hershey had transferred his company shares to the school?
The gift was made in 1918 but was not publicly revealed until 1923.
The Real Hersheys
Did Milton Hershey care about his employees and community?
The filmmakers emphasize that Milton differed from many wealthy industrialists of his era because he shared his success with workers and the surrounding community rather than treating wealth solely as personal gain.
The Real Hersheys
Why is Milton Hershey’s story still relevant?
Milton Hershey’s story connects entrepreneurial ambition with resilience and responsibility. More than a century later, the organizations created from his legacy continue operating, including the school established to serve children.
School & Legacy
What is Milton Hershey School?
Milton Hershey School is the institution that grew from the school Milton and Kitty established in 1909 to provide children in need with greater opportunity.
School & Legacy
Why is Milton Hershey School important to the movie?
The school represents the culmination of Milton and Kitty’s story. Their greatest achievement in the film is presented as the lives their success could change, rather than the chocolate empire itself.
School & Legacy
Does Milton Hershey School still exist?
Yes. Milton Hershey School continues operating more than a century after Milton and Kitty established its predecessor.
School & Legacy
Did Milton Hershey School help with the movie?
Yes. Milton Hershey School was one of the historical resources consulted during production, alongside Hershey Community Archives and The Hershey Story Museum.
School & Legacy
Did the actors meet students from Milton Hershey School?
Yes! Alexandra Daddario met students from Milton Hershey School on the first day of filming, helping make Kitty’s deep care for children especially tangible to her. During filming, centenarian MHS alumni also visited the set to meet Finn Wittrock and Alexandra, creating another meaningful connection between the film and the school’s remarkable legacy.
School & Legacy
Did Finn Wittrock research Milton Hershey School?
Yes. Wittrock has described Milton Hershey School as a central part of his research because it demonstrated that Milton Hershey’s choices are still affecting lives generations later.
School & Legacy
What organizations continue Milton Hershey’s legacy today?
Five separate Hershey entities continue parts of his legacy: The Hershey Company, Milton Hershey School, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, The M.S. Hershey Foundation, and Hershey Trust Company.
School & Legacy
Are all of the Hershey organizations the same company?
No. The five Hershey entities operate separately, although they share a historical connection to Milton Hershey and his philosophy of shared success and community impact.
School & Legacy
What does HERSHEY say success should mean?
The film’s treatment of Milton and Kitty suggests that success is ultimately measured by what it allows a person to contribute to others. Their wealth matters because of what they eventually choose to do with it.
School & Legacy
What is Milton and Kitty Hershey’s greatest legacy in the movie?
The film presents the school they established for children as their greatest legacy, surpassing even the chocolate business that made their name famous.
Cast
Who plays Milton Hershey in HERSHEY?
Finn Wittrock plays Milton S. Hershey across nearly five decades of the character’s life.
Cast
Who plays Kitty Hershey?
Alexandra Daddario plays Catherine “Kitty” Hershey.
Cast
Why was Finn Wittrock cast as Milton Hershey?
The filmmakers wanted an actor who could portray Milton as stubborn and ambitious in youth, then older, more generous, and more experienced without losing the same underlying personality.
Cast
Why was Alexandra Daddario cast as Kitty Hershey?
Daddario was chosen for the emotional depth and screen presence required to portray Kitty as a genuine partner in the story rather than simply the wife of a famous entrepreneur.
Cast
Who plays Milton Hershey’s father?
Alan Ruck plays Henry Hershey, Milton’s father.
Cast
Who does Richard Kind play in HERSHEY?
Richard Kind plays Joseph Royer, the confectioner who gives young Milton his start in candy-making.
Cast
Who does David Costabile play in HERSHEY?
David Costabile plays Tobias Thornhill, the fictional composite rival created to represent the competitive pressures Milton faced in business.
Cast
Who does Heléne Yorke play?
Heléne Yorke plays Margaret, Kitty Hershey’s friend and confidante.
Cast
Who plays young Milton Hershey?
James Kelly plays young Milton Hershey.
Cast
Who are the major supporting actors in HERSHEY?
The principal supporting cast includes Alan Ruck, Richard Kind, David Costabile, Heléne Yorke, Francesca Faridany, Michael Moreland Milligan, Daniel David Stewart, Joel Brady, Dina Spybey-Waters, and John Hans Tester.
Making HERSHEY
Who directed HERSHEY?
HERSHEY was directed by Mark Waters, whose previous films include Freaky Friday, Mean Girls, The Spiderwick Chronicles, and Mr. Popper’s Penguins.
Making HERSHEY
Who wrote HERSHEY?
The screenplay is credited to Sharon Paul and Timothy Michael Hayes. Paul also served as a lead producer on the film.
Making HERSHEY
How did the HERSHEY movie project begin?
Producer Will Hardy became interested in Milton Hershey’s story after visiting The Hotel Hershey and Hersheypark in 2007. He and Michael Fulcher began developing the idea, and Hardy carried the project for more than a decade before Sharon Paul and Mark Tilghman took on the project.
Making HERSHEY
How long did it take to bring HERSHEY to the screen?
The production notes describe a journey of more than five years after Dandelion Media secured the legal rights and began collaboration with The Hershey Company and other Hershey organizations. The concept itself had existed for much longer.
Making HERSHEY
Did The Hershey Company participate in making the movie?
Yes. HERSHEY was produced by Sharon Paul and Mark Tilghman of Dandelion Media in collaboration with the Hershey Entities, and Hershey Company executives Suzanne Jones and Don Papson served as producers.
Making HERSHEY
How historically accurate is HERSHEY?
The filmmakers worked directly with Hershey archival resources and historical organizations to ground the film in documented history. Because HERSHEY is a dramatic feature rather than a documentary, some storytelling elements are dramatized, including the fictional composite character Tobias Thornhill.
Making HERSHEY
What historical resources were used to make HERSHEY?
The production consulted Milton Hershey School, Hershey Community Archives, and The Hershey Story Museum. Production departments also had access to archival documents, photographs, and artifacts.
Making HERSHEY
Where was HERSHEY filmed?
HERSHEY was filmed across Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh, Harmony, Hershey, and Ligonier.
Making HERSHEY
Why was HERSHEY filmed in Pennsylvania?
The filmmakers wanted the movie to remain physically connected to the state where Milton and Kitty built their lives, company, community, and legacy. Pennsylvania locations helped ground the period film in the landscapes and architecture that shaped their story.
Making HERSHEY
When was HERSHEY filmed?
Principal photography began in Pittsburgh in May 2025.
Making HERSHEY
How many locations were used to film HERSHEY?
The production filmed at 17 locations across Pennsylvania.
Making HERSHEY
How many sets were built for HERSHEY?
The production constructed 74 sets to recreate Milton and Kitty Hershey’s world.
Making HERSHEY
How many extras appeared in HERSHEY?
More than 1,500 background actors were used in factory and town scenes.
Making HERSHEY
How many costumes were made or used for HERSHEY?
The production used more than 2,300 costumes, including approximately 300 principal costume designs.
Making HERSHEY
How many costumes were created for Kitty Hershey?
Costume designer Katie Irish’s department created 54 custom costumes for Catherine “Kitty” Hershey.
Making HERSHEY
How long did filming HERSHEY take?
The principal shoot lasted 32 days and covered 175 scenes.
Making HERSHEY
Was real chocolate used while filming HERSHEY?
Yes. Thousands of pieces of real chocolate were used during filming to give the candy-shop and factory scenes authentic texture, appearance, and even smell.
Making HERSHEY
Who composed the music for HERSHEY?
Rolfe Kent composed the film’s original score. HERSHEY marked his tenth collaboration with director Mark Waters.
Making HERSHEY
Was the HERSHEY score recorded with a real orchestra?
Yes. The score was recorded in Nashville with a full live orchestra and was personally conducted by composer Rolfe Kent.
Making HERSHEY
Who designed the look of HERSHEY?
Production designer Neil Patel reconstructed the late 19th- and early 20th-century world of the Hersheys, including factories and domestic spaces. Cinematographer Ed Wu and costume designer Katie Irish were also key members of the creative team responsible for the film’s period look.
Making HERSHEY
Is there a museum exhibit about the making of HERSHEY?
Yes. The Hershey Story Museum plans a special exhibition featuring costumes, props, interviews, interactive elements, a recreation of Joseph Royer’s candy shop, and a hands-on Foley experience connected to the film.
Making HERSHEY
When does HERSHEY come out and where can I watch it?
HERSHEY opens in theaters nationwide on Wednesday, November 25, 2026, for Thanksgiving weekend. The film is distributed by Angel. The current production materials do not announce a streaming release date.
Seeing the Movie
Why is HERSHEY rated PG?
HERSHEY is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association for some thematic elements and brief language.
Seeing the Movie
Does HERSHEY contain strong language?
The official MPA rating cites brief language but does not characterize it as strong or pervasive. The film includes one use of “h*ll.”
Seeing the Movie
What genre is HERSHEY?
HERSHEY is a historical biographical drama with a significant romance at its center. Current theatrical listings classify it as drama, history, and romance.
Seeing the Movie
Is HERSHEY a period piece?
Yes. HERSHEY spans nearly five decades, from the early 1870s through the late 1910s, recreating the period in which Milton and Kitty Hershey built their business, marriage, and philanthropic legacy.
Seeing the Movie
Is HERSHEY a Christmas movie?
HERSHEY is not being positioned as a Christmas movie. It opens for Thanksgiving weekend and tells a story spanning several decades rather than centering on a particular holiday.
Seeing the Movie
Is there an official trailer for HERSHEY?
Yes. The official HERSHEY trailer has been released, and Angel’s theatrical page currently offers viewers the option to watch it alongside ticket information.
Seeing the Movie
Can I buy HERSHEY movie tickets in advance?
Yes! HERSHEY is receiving a wide theatrical release this Thanksgiving. Advance tickets are available now, with additional theaters and showtimes being added as the release date approaches.
Seeing the Movie
Is HERSHEY a good movie for entrepreneurs or business owners?
Viewers interested in entrepreneurship may connect strongly with HERSHEY. Milton’s story involves repeated business failure, experimentation, persistence, eventual success, and ultimately the question of what success should be used for.
Seeing the Movie
Could HERSHEY be useful for students learning American history?
Yes, particularly as a starting point for discussions about industrialization, entrepreneurship, company towns, philanthropy, and the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Because HERSHEY is a dramatized feature film, students should also consult historical and primary sources. Hershey has separately published an educational activity inspired by the film for grades 3 through 12.
Seeing the Movie
What does HERSHEY have to do with America’s 250th anniversary?
The film arrives during the United States’ 250th anniversary year. The filmmakers have connected Milton Hershey’s story with larger ideas about American entrepreneurship, resilience, second chances, and using success to benefit others.
Hershey’s Involvement
Is HERSHEY an Angel Studios production?
Angel distributes HERSHEY, but the film is a Dandelion Media production made in partnership with the Hershey Entities and in association with Aloe Entertainment, Peachtree Group, and RCM3.
Hershey’s Involvement
Was The Hershey Company involved in making HERSHEY?
Yes. The Hershey Entities partnered on the production, and Suzanne Jones, a Vice President at The Hershey Company, served as a producer. The production also worked with Milton Hershey School, Hershey Community Archives, and The Hershey Story Museum.
Hershey’s Involvement
Did The Hershey Company have creative input on HERSHEY?
Yes. The Hershey Company has publicly stated that its representatives and Hershey entity partners reviewed scripts, discussed how Milton and Kitty would be portrayed, and contributed to decisions involving historical moments, intellectual property, branding, and other creative choices.
Hershey’s Involvement
Is HERSHEY basically a 90-minute commercial for Hershey chocolate?
The Hershey Company openly sees the film as an opportunity to deepen people’s connection with the Hershey story and brand. Producer Suzanne Jones has said the team specifically approached the project with the belief that it needed to stand on its own as a film audiences would choose to watch.
Hershey’s Involvement
Who financed the HERSHEY movie?
The film’s official production credits identify Peachtree Media Partners and Western Alliance Bank as providers of production financing.
Hershey’s Involvement
Does HERSHEY portray Milton Hershey as a perfect person?
No. That was not the screenwriters’ stated goal. Screenwriter Sharon Paul has said the filmmakers wanted to remain truthful to Milton and Kitty’s personalities, including their weaknesses. The production notes specifically describe Milton’s nearly obsessive determination alongside Kitty’s independence and self-possession.
Hershey’s Involvement
Does HERSHEY tell the entire history of The Hershey Company?
No. HERSHEY is a biographical drama centered on Milton and Kitty Hershey, and its story spans roughly the early 1870s through the late 1910s. It should not be treated as a comprehensive history of everything that happened to the company, town, school, or Hershey organizations afterward.
Hershey’s Involvement
Does HERSHEY cover the 1937 Hershey factory strike?
No. The film’s story concludes in the late 1910s, while the Hershey factory sit-down strike occurred in 1937. The strike is therefore outside the period covered by the movie. Hershey Community Archives documents the strike and the labor tensions surrounding it.
Hershey’s Involvement
What do historical records say about Milton Hershey as an employer?
Historical records report he invested heavily in housing, schools, transportation, recreation, and employment for the community. Hershey Community Archives describes his concern for worker welfare as genuine, while also noting that he could be autocratic and was criticized for making decisions without consulting residents.
The Town of Hershey
Was Hershey, Pennsylvania a company town?
Yes. Milton Hershey developed a model industrial town around his chocolate factory beginning in the early 1900s. It included housing, transportation, schools, recreation, utilities, businesses, and other community infrastructure connected to the growing factory town.
The Town of Hershey
Could Hershey factory workers own their homes?
Yes. Hershey Community Archives records show that workers could purchase lots directly from Milton Hershey, while homes built through the Hershey Improvement Company were available both for sale and rent. Contemporary advertisements also encouraged homeownership.
The Town of Hershey
Is Hershey, Pennsylvania a real town?
Hershey is a real community in Pennsylvania, but it is not an incorporated town with its own municipal government. It is part of Derry Township. The community grew around Milton Hershey’s chocolate factory beginning in the early 1900s and became widely known as Hershey. The town continues to be the epicenter of The Hershey Company and Milton Hershey’s legacy.
The Town of Hershey
Did Milton Hershey create Hersheypark?
Yes. Milton Hershey reserved land for recreation while developing his model town. Hershey Park formally opened in 1906 as a place where factory employees and local residents could relax and enjoy recreation. It later developed into the modern Hersheypark.
The Chocolate
Does The Hershey Company still make chocolate in Hershey, Pennsylvania?
Yes, many Hershey treats are still made in Hershey, Pennsylvania, like HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Bars, HERSHEY’S KISSES Milk Chocolates, HERSHEY’S Syrup, and REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups. Other products are made throughout the state of Pennsylvania, including Hazleton and Lancaster, the original home to Milton Hershey's confectionery ventures.
The Chocolate
Are all Hershey products made in Hershey, Pennsylvania?
No, Hershey manufactures products in multiple locations in the United States, including Virginia, Tennessee, and throughout the Midwest. Several of the company's signature products are made in Hershey, Pennsylvania, or nearby Lancaster, Pennsylvania. With more than 90 brands, the company serves consumers and makes products around the world.
The Chocolate
Is HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate actually real chocolate?
Yes. The classic HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Bar is sold and labeled as milk chocolate and contains chocolate, cocoa butter, milk ingredients including fresh milk, and other listed ingredients. Hershey describes it as real milk chocolate, and milk chocolate itself is a standardized food category regulated by the FDA.
The Chocolate
Why does HERSHEY’S chocolate taste different from some European chocolates?
Different chocolate-making traditions use different approaches to milk and processing, which can produce noticeably different flavor profiles. Hershey emphasizes the use of fresh milk in its classic chocolate, while independent chemistry sources have connected Hershey’s distinctive tang to compounds associated with its milk-processing method. Taste preference varies considerably depending on what style of chocolate someone is accustomed to.
The Chocolate
Does Hershey use genetically modified ingredients?
Yes. The Hershey Company states that many of its products contain ingredients derived from genetically modified crops. The company says it complies with applicable disclosure requirements and provides additional ingredient information through packaging and SmartLabel.
The Chocolate
Did Milton Hershey invent milk chocolate?
No. Milk chocolate existed before Milton Hershey began producing it. His major innovation was developing a method for mass-producing milk chocolate with fresh milk at a price ordinary Americans could afford.
The Chocolate
What was Milton Hershey’s biggest innovation in chocolate?
Milton Hershey helped turn milk chocolate from an expensive luxury into a mass-market American product. He spent years developing a fresh-milk formula and built a production system capable of making milk chocolate cheaply and at enormous scale.
The Chocolate
When was the HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Bar introduced?
Milton Hershey introduced HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate in 1900 after years of experimentation. The company had produced other chocolate products since 1894, but the milk chocolate bar became the product that transformed Hershey’s business and helped make milk chocolate affordable to a mass American audience.
The Chocolate
Did Milton Hershey invent REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups?
No. REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups were created by H.B. Reese, a former Hershey employee who started his own candy business. Milton Hershey supported Reese’s venture and supplied him with milk chocolate. The Reese business later became part of The Hershey Company in 1963.
Movie Tie-Ins
Are there special HERSHEY’S products connected to the movie?
Yes. Hershey has released movie-related editions of some products, including HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Bars with special packaging and HERSHEY’S KISSES tied to the film campaign. Hersheyland describes the movie bars as limited-edition products created for the theatrical release.
Movie Tie-Ins
Are there educational activities connected to the HERSHEY movie?
Yes. Hersheyland has published a movie-inspired “Build Your Own Town” activity designed for grades 3 through 12. It uses Milton Hershey’s development of the town as a starting point for lessons about community planning, civic engagement, leadership, and helping others.
Movie Tie-Ins
How did HERSHEY perform with the Angel Guild?
According to Angel Chief Content Officer Jeff Harmon, HERSHEY earned an exceptional 93 out of 100 from the Angel Guild, ranking among the highest audience scores in the Guild’s history.