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What To Know About Reece’s Chocolate

They’re perhaps America’s top sweets, so you can learn more about this heavenly combination of peanut butter and chocolate.

If Harry Burnett Reese needed a job in 1916 He was able to land the position on one of Hershey Chocolate’s dairy farm. Here, his career progressed from in the dairy industry, milking cows, to managing the portion of the Hershey milk operation that was known to be”the” Round Barn. While working in the job, Reese realized the financial benefits that the candy industry could bring, but when the Round Barn facility closed in 1919, he was without a job.

The recently laid-off Reese tried to get on track by launching his own R&R Candy Company in Hummelstown, Penn. The new company produced raisins and chocolate, however Reese did not have much luck. After he had sold shares of that company as Superior Chocolate & Confectionery in order to fund modern equipment but he wasn’t able to make it into the candy market. The company was bankrupt and, after being shuffled between jobs, he was returning to Hershey in the same position, working in the department of shipping. His determination to succeed led to his promotion to foreman, however Reese was not content.

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Even after failing on his first venture to break into the business, Reese looked at Milton Hershey’s successes and realized that there was plenty of money to spend in the candy industry. He began to experiment with new recipes and sweets in his basement and within a few months the company was producing a range of sweets. The most popular in those early times was Lizzie Bar which was made of chocolate, the caramel, freshly grated coconut, which was named for Reese’s daughter. Also, he sold the Johnny Bar named after his son made of Molasses. The candy gained enough popularity that in 1923, Reese was able to leave his job at Hershey’s and go off on his own with the H.B. Reese Candy Company.

Although Reese’s initial efforts in his new venture gained a lot of attention, the true game changer was to come five years after he had incorporated the company. When Reese invented the first peanut butter cup with chocolate that would later become the symbol of his name that year, no one knew what landmark the moment would be. Instead of an eye-catching product rollout the cups were sold in candy assortments of 5 pounds that store owners purchased in huge quantities. It was the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup began its existence as an ensemble piece.

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of tasting the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup knows that the sweets were delicious enough to stay in the shadows for long. When demand for the cups grew, Reese began selling them as a stand-alone item in the year 1935. The stores could have containers of 120 cups that were sold at a penny in addition to larger two-cent and five-cent versions also available. The former ingredient of a candy mix in bulk became a massive hit.

Chocolate and sugar were difficult to find throughout World War II, which caused problems for many confectioners. However, for Reese as well as his business the peanut butter was not restricted and the production process of Peanut Butter cups was automated. The company retreated from the other products it offered to become a giant that was centered solely on Peanut Butter Cups alone, and their popularity increased following the end of the war.

Reese’s business ended up in the same place that the creative executive had begun. Harry Reese passed away in 1956. Then, in the year 1963 Hershey purchased the H.B. Reese Candy Company. It proved to be an intelligent move by Hershey. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups would go into becoming the top-selling product of the company.

In 1978 In 1978, the Reese’s brand received a second chance to make a splash. After five decades, Harry Reese developed the peanut butter cup that became well-known, Hershey introduced Reese’s Pieces. The bite-sized snacks were initially labeled PBs before they were rebranded Reese’s Pieces and enjoying a success in its launch.

Reese’s Pieces were released from the gates swiftly but really began to take off when they appeared in Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster of 1982 E.T. the Extraterrestrial. While everyone’s favorite alien munched on Reese’s Pieces, if Spielberg had had his style, E.T. would have eaten Reese’s tiniest competitors. According to the legend, Spielberg and his team were looking to incorporate M&M’s into the advertisement, but Mars did not want to join forces. Hershey on the other hand was pleased to accept the offer of product placement and offered $1 million worth of ads to promote the film. It was a good bet. After E.T. was a success, Reese’s Pieces sales soared at least 60 percent.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are great on their own but creative cooks have come up with numerous ways to enhance the sweetness. From ice cream, cookies to cheesecakes, the cups are a great addition to many delicious desserts. These chocolate-and-peanut-butter life hacks have gotten so popular that Hershey’s even maintains a page of Reese’s recipes.

For the pleasure of kids all over the world, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are now the most popular Halloween treats. According to some estimates, they’re the best Halloween candy sold in America that is in agreement with the fact that Reese’s ranks first among all candy the sales of snack size. All through the calendar year Hershey has more than 500 millions worth of Reese’s every year, so when you’ve had the chance to take a sip and a half, you’re certainly not the only one.