Which chocolate company was founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1894?

Which chocolate company was founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1894? The Hershey Company. Milton S. Hershey established the Hershey Chocolate Company on February 8, 1894, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, initially as a subsidiary of his successful Lancaster Caramel Company.

Hershey had already endured several failed candy ventures before finding success with caramel. He later turned his attention to milk chocolate, building a factory in Derry Township, Pennsylvania, in 1899. The company began mass-producing Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars in 1900, helping make milk chocolate affordable to a much broader American market.

The business has changed names over time: it was the Hershey Chocolate Company from 1894 to 1927, Hershey Chocolate Corporation until 1968, and Hershey Foods Corporation until 2005. That history explains why “Hershey,” “Hershey’s,” and “The Hershey Company” can all appear in references. Cadbury, Nestlé, and Mars are separate confectionery companies with different founders and origins.