Hershey sources many of its ingredients from around the world. It procures cocoa from crops in Ecuador, Ghana, and Brazil. The company also sources peanuts and other nuts from suppliers in China, India, and South America.
In addition, Hershey sources various dairy ingredients, such as milk and cream, from the United States, Canada, and Europe. For its sugar, Hershey uses locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. The company utilizes a variety of other ingredients, such as vanilla, maltitol, and almonds, from suppliers around the world.
Hershey also purchases packaging materials, plastic and cardboard, from regional suppliers. In its effort to purchase ingredients and materials from a responsible and sustainable source, Hershey has established a global sustainable sourcing platform and a Global Sourcing Council to evaluate vendors and suppliers.
How does Hershey get their ingredients?
Hershey sources its ingredients from around the world to guarantee a consistent taste, while remaining committed to sustainability and responsibility. The company employs an international team of sourcing specialists, including expertise in cocoa, dairy, and nuts, to ensure that the highest quality ingredients are contracted, distributed and monitored.
They are mindful of traceability, sustainability, quality and safety, as well as efficacy and value, in every ingredient source.
Hershey sources cocoa beans from countries such as Ghana, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic, mostly through direct contracts with CocoaLink farmers. CocoaLink is Hershey’s cocoa sustainability program, which works to decrease poverty levels and increase the standard of living for cocoa farmers and their families.
Hershey also sources dairy for their products from Kosher certified suppliers throughout the US and Canada. Potential suppliers are evaluated using The Hershey Company’s specific criteria for processing, quality, food safety, animal welfare, environmental management, and social responsibility.
For the nuts used in their products, the company relies on US-based suppliers that meet their stringent standards for sources of shelled and un-shelled almonds; pecans; peanuts; and walnuts. As with other suppliers, potential nut suppliers are evaluated using The Hershey Company’s specific criteria for processing, quality, food safety, sustainability, and social responsibility.
Hershey also works to source ingredients which alleviate the potential for cocoa supply constraints, reduce the carbon footprint and provide greater financial stability for farmers. Through programs like CocoaLink and its collaboration with suppliers, the company is helping to secure a future for its farmers, its consumers and its business.
What are the raw materials in Hershey Chocolate?
The raw materials used in Hershey’s chocolate include cocoa beans, cocoa butter, sugar, milk, chocolate liquor, lecithin, vanilla, and citric acid. The cocoa beans and cocoa butter are the two essential ingredients in making the chocolate, and the other ingredients are added for flavor, texture, and preservation.
The cocoa beans, which come from cocoa trees, are first dried and roasted, then blended and winnowed, before being ground into cocoa shells and edible cocoa liquor. The cocoa liquor is then either processed solely, or combined with cocoa butter to create a chocolate mass or a paste.
The cocoa mass and other ingredients such as sugar, milk, lecithin, vanilla, and citric acid are then blended with fats and emulsifiers to create a homogenous liquid called chocolate liquor. After the chocolate liquor has been blended and cooled, it can be formed into the shapes of Hershey’s chocolate bars, Kisses, and other chocolate treats.
Where do the raw materials for chocolate come from?
The raw materials that are used to make chocolate come from a variety of sources. Cocoa beans for chocolate are grown in West Africa, primarily in Ghana, Nigeria, and the Ivory Coast. The cocoa beans are harvested, fermented, dried, and then shipped for manufacturing.
In addition to cocoa beans, chocolate requires other ingredients such as sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla. Sugar usually comes from countries in the Southern Levant region including Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Turkey.
Milk is sourced from cows, while butter is made from cow’s milk. Vanilla can be sourced from many different countries including Mexico, Madagascar, and India. Once all the ingredients are sourced and shipped, they are then processed into chocolate.
The processing can include roasting, grinding, and refining the cocoa beans, as well as mixing and blending with other ingredients. Finally, the finished chocolate is packaged for shipment and sale.
Which plant does chocolate come from?
The cacao plant (Theobroma cacao) is the plant that chocolate is made from. The plant grows in tropical climates, and its fruit is an oval-shaped pod, typically yellow or purple in color, which contains a thick, sweet white pulp and numerous seeds.
The cacao beans are the seeds from inside these pods, and these are dried, roasted and the husks are removed, producing cocoa nibs. These nibs are then either sold in their natural form or ground into a paste to make cocoa liquor or cocoa mass.
The liquor is used to make cocoa powder and chocolate.
How is chocolate made in factories?
Chocolate manufacturing is a complex process that involves numerous steps. In factories, cocoa beans are first roasted and then dried before being shelled to remove the nibs. The nibs are ground up in order to create a cocoa paste, which is then mixed with other ingredients such as sugar, butter, and milk to form a cocoa liquor.
This mixture is then refined and conched via a grinding process. The resulting chocolate is then tempered to give it a glossy finish and longer shelf-life. The chocolate is then molded into the desired shapes, such as bars or coins, and cooled before being packaged and shipped.
This process can be done on a small scale; however, large factories use automated machines to streamline the process and produce chocolate in large quantities.
What is Hershey’s secret ingredient?
Hershey’s has been very secretive about the exact formula of their chocolate, but some of the key ingredients used to make the iconic chocolate bar are cocoa, sugar, milk, and butter. The unique flavor of a Hershey’s bar is attributed to its cocoa content, which is why Hershey’s is so careful about keeping the exact formula for their cocoa blend a secret.
Additionally, lecithin is a common emulsifier used in the chocolate-making process, and the other ingredients used in the recipe may vary slightly depending on the region the chocolate is being produced in.
In the end, it seems that the secret ingredient at the heart of all great Hershey’s chocolate is the perfect balance of its classic ingredients, combined to create its distinctive taste.
Is Hershey’s made with real chocolate?
Yes, Hershey’s is made with real chocolate. Hershey’s uses cocoa beans to make its chocolate, including both milk and dark chocolate products. The company has its own cocoa bean-processing plant and makes its own chocolate liquor, which is used in all of its products.
Hershey’s also has a special type of chocolate called Hershey’s Special Dark that is made from a blend of cocoa beans from West Africa and Latin America. The final product is made with cocoa butter, sugar, and milk and is approved by the FDA as “real chocolate”.
In addition, all Hershey’s products must pass the company’s own sensory tests that ensure its taste, texture, and color are up to their standards.
Is Hershey’s chocolate healthy?
No, Hershey’s chocolate is not generally considered healthy. It is primarily made from sugar and dairy products, both of which can contribute to weight gain and other health concerns. Furthermore, Hershey’s chocolate often contains numerous additional additives, such as hydrogenated oils, artificial colors and artificial flavors, which are also generally unhealthy.
Additionally, chocolate is high in calories and contains saturated fat, which can increase blood cholesterol levels. While dark chocolate does contain beneficial components, such as antioxidants and fiber, Hershey’s dark chocolate bars still contain a significant amount of sugar and other unhealthy ingredients.
Do Hershey kisses have egg in them?
No, Hershey Kisses do not contain any egg ingredients. They are made from a few simple ingredients: sugar, cocoa butter, milk ingredients, chocolate, lecithin (an emulsifier) and vanillin (an artificial flavor).
None of these ingredients include any form of egg. However, the Hershey Company does make many products that contain eggs and other animal derived ingredients, so if that is a concern it is best to check the label of each individual product.
Why is lecithin used in chocolate?
Lecithin is often used in chocolate because it acts as an emulsifier, helping to keep the cocoa and cocoa butter evenly distributed. This helps to prevent the cocoa butter from separating out, which would give the chocolate a grainy texture.
Lecithin also reduces the viscosity of chocolate so it’s easier to work with. Not only does this help with the texture of the chocolate, but it also helps chocolate to melt more quickly and evenly on the tongue, creating a smooth and creamy texture that is pleasing to eat.
Lecithin also helps stabilize mixtures and contribute to a longer shelf life. For example, lecithin helps stop small particles from sticking together, which can cause the chocolate to solidify.
How is Hershey chocolate made step by step?
The first step in making Hershey chocolate is tempering. This is when cocoa butter, sugar, and cocoa powder are mixed together in a specific order and heated. The mixture is then cooled and mixed over and over again until it reaches the right consistency.
The next step is conching, which is when the cocoa mix is mixed and heated at a low temperature. The heating helps to release aroma and flavor from the cocoa. This can go on for hours at a time, depending on what the final product needs to taste like.
The final step is refining, which is when the chocolate is passed through rollers to make it smooth. The rollers help reduce the size of the particles within the chocolate and make it easier to combine other ingredients into the chocolate.
When the refining is completed, the chocolate is finally ready for adding any other ingredients that desired. Marshmallows, nuts, and other flavors can be added in, and then the chocolate is ready to be formed into bars and confections.
These are then packaged and ready to be enjoyed.
Who supplies chocolate to Hershey?
Hershey sources most of its chocolate from two producers – Cargill and Barry Callebaut. Cargill supplies both milk and dark chocolate and Barry Callebaut provides white chocolate. Both companies also provide cocoa butter to Hershey, which they use to make their own chocolate.
Hershey also buys some of its cocoa beans directly from farmers in a few select origins around the world, such as Ghana and the Dominican Republic. In addition, the company sometimes uses third-party suppliers, such as Blommer Chocolate and Guittard.
Hershey purchases a range of cocoa ingredients, including cocoa powder, cocoa butter, and cocoa liquor, from these suppliers.
How are Hershey ingredients produced?
Hershey’s ingredients are sourced responsibly and are produced with the utmost care. Hershey collaborates with suppliers to source the best cacao beans and cocoa ingredients, which includes direct sourcing from marketplaces, farmer cooperatives, and government development projects.
The ingredients are produced using the best practices in modern chocolate-making, such as fermentation, drying, roasting, and winnowing. Fermentation is a natural process designed to develop flavor and aroma, drying helps reduce the cacao content’s moisture, roasting helps intensify buttery characteristics and create deeper chocolate flavors, and winnowing helps separate the husks from the nibs.
All of these stages of production are carefully monitored to ensure the highest quality of chocolate products.
Hershey also follows strict quality assurance protocols to ensure product safety. Microbiological and chemical testing are done at various stages of the chocolate-making process in order to guarantee that there are no contaminants or safety issues with the ingredients.
Lastly, Hershey utilizes a unique process called ‘conching’, which is done to get rid of any remaining particulates, ensuring the smoothness and texture of the chocolate.
How do producers get cocoa to the market Hershey?
Producers get cocoa to the market Hershey by working with certified suppliers to purchase cocoa from farmer cooperatives and/or subsidiaries around the world. The cocoa typically gets shipped to the ports near Hershey’s global production facilities, then it is transported to its HERSHEY’S Cocoa Plant in Stuarts Draft, Virginia.
The cocoa is sorted and inspected so it meets Hershey’s stringent quality standards. From there, the cocoa is shipped to different locations for further processing. It is milled, blended and conched at one of their many production facilities located around the world.
The cocoa is tested for flavor and quality before it is blended into Hershey’s signature chocolate and other products. The final product then goes to distribution centers near the main production facilities to distribute the chocolate to grocery and retail stores, so customers can enjoy the delicious treats.
What is the difference between cacao and cocoa?
The difference between cacao and cocoa is that cacao refers to the raw form of the cocoa beans while cocoa is the roasted and ground form of the beans. Cacao is cold pressed and the resulting paste is what is used to make chocolate and other cocoa products.
Cocoa is typically heated during the manufacturing process, which changes the flavor, texture and natural color of the cocoa. Additionally, cacao is higher in nutrients and antioxidants, such as magnesium, and it has more of a bitter flavor than cocoa.
Cocoa also has more sugar deep down for a sweeter flavor. In short, cacao is the unprocessed version of cocoa, so it has a more complex flavor and is healthier for you than cocoa.
