The Hershey family name is attached to The Hershey Company, founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1894.
Milton S. Hershey first built a successful caramel business before turning to milk chocolate. He established the Lancaster Caramel Company in 1886 and founded the Hershey Chocolate Company in 1894. The company’s milk chocolate bar helped make chocolate affordable to a broad American market.
Hershey created the town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, around his factory and established the Milton Hershey School with his wife, Catherine. The company is publicly traded today, so it is not wholly owned by Hershey descendants.
The Hershey Trust Company retains voting control connected to the Milton Hershey School. Thus, “family business” describes the founding legacy and enduring influence more accurately than direct private ownership.