When it comes to chocolate candy, the world basically owes its popularity to Milton Hershey.  Born in 1857 in a small town in Pennsylvania, Milton Hershey was to become the world’s best known chocolate maker.  His chocolate candy aptly named “Hershey’s” is probably and arguably the most famous and successful chocolate brand in the world.  Aside from his famous chocolate bar, Milton Hershey is also interesting because of the following facts:

Fact 1:  Milton Hershey is one generous guy.  Besides being famous and successful with his chocolate bars, Hershey was also well-loved for his generosity and philanthropic projects.

Fact 2:  The first candy produced by Milton Hershey was made of caramel and not chocolate.  It was in 1876 when Crystal A Caramels came into business.  It was several years later when chocolate was added to the caramel candies as coating.

Fact 3:  Milton Hershey became a printer’s apprentice before becoming a chocolate candy maker.  In his younger days, Hershey’s mother found him a job as an assistant in a printing press.  The young Hershey would found this job boring and so explored other activities.

Fact 4:  Hershey was only 19 years old when he opened his first candy business.  His first shop was built in Philadelphia and a variety of candy products were offered for sale.

Fact 5:  The candy shops that were first built by Milton Hershey were all a failure.  From his first shop in Philadelphia to another shop in New York, Milton Hershey was not able to get success with his candy business.  It was only until he ventured into making caramel candies that he first gained success.

Fact 6:  Milton Hershey sold his successful caramel candy business to setup his chocolate company.  Hershey gambled on this idea because of his vision to mass produce chocolate candies for America.  In 1900, America was finally introduced with the first Hershey chocolate bar.

Fact 7:  Only one type of chocolate candy was made by the Hershey Chocolate candy when it started.  The world-famous milk chocolate bar was the first “Hershey’s bar” and this was produced in massive quantities and at affordable prices.

Fact 8:  Milton Hershey and her wife Catherine had no children of their own.  With this situation, the Hersheys put up a school for needy children.  This school for children would become one of Milton Hershey’s fine legacies as a good-hearted and generous individual.  The school would then be renamed to bear the Hershey name because of the couple’s contributions.

Fact 9:  Aside from his chocolate company, Milton Hershey also put up a hotel and a sports center in Hershey, Pennsylvania to help people get jobs and earn a living.  Hershey was basically known to be very helpful to other people especially those that live in his hometown.  Hershey was known to be very generous which made him very successful in the chocolate business.

Fact 10:  The town of Hershey, Pennsylvania has become a tourist attraction because of Milton Hershey’s chocolate factory and legacy as a philanthropist.  The street lights of this town are also shaped like Hershey’s Kisses which further adds to the popularity of this town.