I, along with my parents, recently visited Hershey, the home of the world famous Hershey Chocolate factories. I consider myself a CHOCOHOLIC and I love Chocolate in any form. Hershey's chocolate bar, kisses have always been on the top of my favorite chocolate's list. However, its only after this visit to the Chocolate world, I felt much happier about every Hershey's Chocolate I ever had.
Hershey's chocolate world is about 80 miles from the place where I live. It took us about 1 and half hours to get there. It was a pleasant day and the place was filled with cocoa aroma :) . We started off with the 3D show featured on the Hershey chocolates. I almost held my hands out, as did a 3 year old kid who was sitting right next to me, when the 3D show gave an illusion of chocolate shower all around the place. It was a wonderful show and I enjoyed every bit of it.
After the show, we chose to take the one hour Trolley Ride around the Hershey township. It was a beautiful place and the Hershey Kiss shaped street lights attracted everybody's attention. The guide in the Trolley showed us different places(Hershey's Mansion which now hosts the Hershey trust offices, Chocolate factories, Hershey schools etc). He narrated the life story of Milton S. Hershey, the founder of the Hershey chocolate companies. I was amazed by listening to the facts about Hershey.
(Have you noticed the Hershey Kiss shaped street light??)This was what was told by the guide and to the best of what I remember --
Hershey, in his early adulthood, faced a life of hardship. He only received minimal education and started his career as a candy maker. His several attempts at starting a company for candy making were unsuccessful. With a lot of effort, he managed to build the caramel candy manufacturing company close to his birthplace, which was later named after him as Hershey town. He got interested in the art of chocolate making, which was only known to Swiss in those days. After trial and error, he arrived at the formula for making the best milk chocolate. He started Hershey Chocolate company which made Milk Chocolate bars, a luxury which only a few enjoyed in those days, that everyone could afford. Along with the development of Hershey Chocolate companies, the area, the Hershey town started developing. He provided his employees with houses, health care centers, recreational centers etc.
All the profits on the Hershey Chocolates, apart from those used to maintain and develop the Hershey chocolate factories and other Hershey attractions, go to the Hershey Trust that maintains the Hershey school for less privileged kids. The school has all the facilities that any private school would have. It is totally maintained by the trust without any help from the government.
Isn't it really amazing? He started a school that would help less privileged students and provided jobs to many people for years to come. He not only developed the place but also provided a means for it to continue to develop and maintain itself.
(click on the image to be able to read what's written on it)Another fact that guide pointed to us was that the formula for Hershey chocolate bar has never been changed. There are many companies out there which start off by making good stuff but eventually tend to compromise on quality.
The trolley ride came to an end and the guide gave Hershey chocolate bar to each one of us. :)
We then took a quick tour of a miniature chocolate factory where we got to know how chocolates are exactly made. After buying whole lots of chocolates we started back from the place. It was a short but sweet trip.
(The e-board on the wall continuously updates the count of chocolates being made on a particular day .. could not get a good shot of it :()Three Cheers to Hershey, the Amazing Chocolate and its Amazing Creator!!!!
Labels: Hersheys
