Hershey's
By: Christine Cisneros
History
The Hershey's company originated with candy-manufacturer Milton Hershey's decision in 1894 to produce chocolate as a coating for his caramels. Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the new enterprise was named the Hershey chocolate company. In 1900, the company began producing milk chocolate in bars, wafers, and other shapes. With mass production, Hershey was able to lower the per-unit cost and make milk chocolate. What was once a luxury item for the wealthy, is now affordable to all.
Hershey's Cocoa Sustainability Strategy
Hershey has helped family cocoa farmers and communities develop more productive agriculture practices, build educational and community resources and improve labor practices.
Improving communities
Hershey seeks to modernize cocoa farming to increase farmer incomes, attract new farmers and improve cocoa growing communities. They are currently focusing on its initiatives in West Africa- Côte d'lvoire and Ghana- because cocoa farmers there have the greatest need to improve their farms and raise living standards for themselves and their families.
Hershey is also working on similar farm improvement projects in Indonesia and Latin America, including an innovative project in Mexico to restore the disease- ravaged cocoa crop.
Sustainability programs: CocoaLink and Hershey Learn to Grow
Location
Hershey, Pa
CocoaLink
Hershey has helped increase cocoa farmer's yields by 45% over 3 years! There are 45,000 Ghanaian farmers enrolled in this public-private partnership.
Palm oil
Hershey has committed to using 100% traceable and sustainable sourced palm oil, and have specific environmental and labor requirements for their suppliers. This will allow them to understand where the palm is coming from and how it is sourced. By utilizing palm oil, Hershey is doing their part in helping to minimize the environmental and social impact of unsustainable palm sourcing.
Hershey Learn to Grow
The Hershey Learn to Grow program helps 22,000 farmers- including 1/3 women- by providing information on best practices in sustainable cocoa farming. Program features are GPS mapping of farms to create precise acreage for fertilizers, farm training and education, and 300 student elementary school in Côte d'lvoire with an infirmary and canteen.