We field hundreds of questions each month about our Safe Snack Guide, a resource relied upon by thousands of schools and tens of thousands of parents nationwide to keep peanuts and tree nuts out of the classroom and the home.
Most are for products from companies that have yet to join our Manufacturer Partnership, the ones denoted in the Guide by black bullets. For these, we make a best effort to verify they are not produced on shared lines where peanuts and tree nuts are also processed, and we do this generally by starting with the consumer service line.
Recently, we’ve had a number of inquiries regarding Hershey’s Kisses and 1.55oz Milk Chocolate Bars, the two Hershey’s brand items listed in the Guide. We decided it was time to revisit the safety of these products by reaching out to the Hershey Company directly and requesting an official response from the firm. Our inquiry was specific: Are these items made on shared lines with peanuts and tree nuts?
We received the following response from Jeff Beckman, Director of Corporate Communications for the Hershey Company:
Your inquiry to The Hershey Company regarding nut allergies was forwarded to me. Let me provide you with a response that should clarify you questions.
First, we take food allergies very seriously and have strict procedures in place to prevent crossover of allergens into other products that do not contain the allergen. In instances where we have a concern about possible contamination by an allergen we take the added precaution of including an allergy information statement on the label.
Our 1.55 standard size HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Bar does not currently have any peanut ingredients, nor does it carry an AIS statement. The 1.55 oz bar is made in a plant that does not process peanuts and is produced on a dedicated line that does not manufacture any tree nut items. The HERSHEY’S KISSES Milk Chocolates and HERSHEY’S KISSES SPECIAL DARK Chocolates also do not have any peanut ingredients, nor do they carry an AIS Statement. HERSHEY’S KISSES Milk Chocolates are also produced in a plant that does not process peanuts and produced on dedicated chocolate Kiss lines that do not manufacture any tree nut items.
Because ingredients or manufacturing processes can change, we always recommend that consumers continue to read the labels prior to purchasing our products.
There was some ambiguity in the response regarding the Special Dark variety of Kisses, so we requested further clarification. The response from Mr Beckman was as follows:
Special Dark Kisses are produced on the same line as our HERSHEY’S Milk kisses. Produced in a plant that does not process peanuts and produced on dedicated chocolate Kiss lines that do not manufacture any tree nut items.
To summarize, Hershey’s asserts that theirMilk and Special Dark varieties of Kisses as well as their 1.55oz Milk Chocolate bars are made in peanut-free facilities on tree nut-free lines.
Please notethat they make no other claims regardingother varieties and sizes of these products, so please contact the company directly if you have questions.
We have extended an invitation to Hershey’s to join our Partnership andby doing so provide additional informationregarding themanufacture of their products to the benefit of the Food Allergy community. We would then include all of their products in our Allergence screening service and all eligible products in the Safe Snack Guide. Would you like to help?Contact them by clicking here and suggest they join!
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FAQs
A quick look at the Hershey's website indicates that Hershey's Kisses and its Milk Chocolate Bars have the same list of ingredients. They're basically comprised of milk chocolate that features a mix of milk, sugar, cocoa butter, lecithin, cocoa butter, and natural flavor.
What is the story behind Hershey Kisses? ›
Some say that could have been coined from the sound the chocolate machine made when the chocolate came out of it. Others say that the word 'kiss' was a common confectionary term at the time to refer to a small piece of candy. Milton Hershey filed a trademark for Hershey's Kisses back in 1921.
What is Hershey's #1 selling brand since when? ›
On July 2, 1963, the H. B. Reese Candy Company merged with the Hershey Chocolate Corporation in a tax-free stock-for-stock merger. In 1969, only six years after the Reese/Hershey merger, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups became the Hershey Company's top seller.
Why do my Hershey kisses taste weird? ›
What's not subjective is the fact that butyric acid is found in milk, which is in Hershey's chocolate, and that butyric acid can create notes of sourness and tang — which, yes, some sensitive tasters, or those used to European chocolate, could feel is reminiscent of vomit ... where butyric acid also hangs out.
Why are Hershey Kisses so expensive? ›
And Hershey is far from alone. As BBC reported, Cadbury also identified the rising costs of ingredients, including both cocoa and sugar, as one of its major challenges to come. And while inflation certainly plays its part, much of the increase in cost appears to be out of their control.
What is the hidden symbol in the Hershey's Kisses logo? ›
If you turn the package sideways you'll see it better.
However, there was one that really stood out — turns out that Hershey's world famous Kisses have a secret Kiss hidden right between the "K" and the "I" on the logo. Can you see it? It's a little easier to see if you tilt your head or turn the package.
What is the little paper in a Hershey kiss called? ›
That parchment paper strip is called a “plume”. Originally the paper plumes were also referred to as identification tags, possibly because they looked like miniature brand flags.
Why are Hershey's Kisses so addictive? ›
The additives of sugar and fat in both milk chocolate and white chocolate trigger sweet taste receptors which releases dopamine and entice consumption to be repeated. This experience is seen to be more enjoyable compared to dark chocolate which upholds bitter aftertastes.
Why do Hershey Kisses have the little paper? ›
Originally, the printed paper plume contained the brand name, “Hershey's”, and the plume distinguished HERSHEY'S KISSES Chocolates from those of competitors. The highly visible paper plume replaced the Hershey's tissue identification tag that wrapped the chocolate and was hidden inside the foil wrapper.
What is the most popular candy in the world? ›
Best-selling Candy in the World
- Snickers.
- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
- Toblerone.
- Kit Kat.
- Dove.
- Cadbury Dairy Milk.
- Twix.
- Milka.
To counteract the many competitors and greatly improve manufacturing efficiency, in 1921 the Hershey Chocolate Company developed wrapping machinery that could insert a visual product marker, the paper plume, inside the foil wrapper but with the Hershey's “flag” protruding from the top for all to see.
Why are we boycotting Hershey's? ›
Calls to boycott Hershey are spreading on Twitter in response to the chocolate company's International Women's Day Canadian campaign, which includes a trans woman. It's the latest example of a brand generating a strong but mixed reaction to a promotional campaign that touches on cultural or societal issues.
What is the most sold chocolate bar in the world? ›
The bars are made by the American company Mars Inc. The annual global sales of Snickers is over $380 million, and it is widely considered the bestselling candy bar in the world. Mars Inc.
Does Hershey own M&M? ›
M&M's are the flagship product of the Mars Wrigley Confectionery division of Mars, Incorporated.
What kind of chocolate is a Hershey bar? ›
A Hershey's candy bar containing milk chocolate gently blended into a light, airy texture, as it is aerated chocolate. It was designed to melt in the consumer's mouth.
Why does Hershey chocolate taste different? ›
In the case of Hershey's chocolate, butyric acid is added as a flavouring agent to create the distinctive taste and aroma that many people associate with the brand. Butyric acid is one of the key ingredients in the milk chocolate flavouring used by Hershey's, along with other natural and artificial flavours.
How much real chocolate is in a Hershey bar? ›
That's because those Cadbury milk bars contain 23 percent cacao in comparison to the American-made Hershey bars, which contain only eleven percent cacao, resulting in a much darker, richer taste in the Cadbury bar.
