May 11, 2026
Since 1894, The Hershey Company has been making chocolate that shows up in life's best moments. S'mores at a campfire. A bowl of Hershey's Kisses at the holidays. Chocolate has always been a part of family traditions and happy memories.
Milton Hershey believed chocolate should be delicious, made with great care, and affordable enough for everyone to enjoy. That belief still guides us today in our headquarters and on the factory floor in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where it all began.
A Career Built on Chocolate
Shawn Houser-Fedor, Senior Director of U.S. Confection, Snacks, Grocery, and Protein Product Development, knows chocolate. Raised in Hershey and trained as a chemist, she joined the company's research and development (R&D) team more than 30 years ago. She's made her career in chocolate, helping bring many fan-favorite products to life and understanding the many reasons why chocolate is such a unique and delicious treat.
How Temperature Changes Chocolate
Temperature plays a big role in how chocolate looks, feels and tastes:
- Cool chocolate gives that satisfying snap
- Warm chocolate gets soft and gooey, making it perfect for s'mores
- Hot chocolate melts into a smooth liquid that's great for dipping and drizzling
Here's the simple science. Chocolate is solid at room temperature because of how its fats and sugars are packed tightly together. When it warms up, those bonds loosen and chocolate starts to soften, making it act like a semi-solid or liquid. That's the magic of real chocolate.
Chocolate Made to Be Enjoyed
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bars are made to be savored and shared. The bars snap when they're cool and melt when they're warm. That's been the standard for more than 100 years, and it still is today. It's a standard rooted in care people can taste, feel, and enjoy in every bite.
Common Questions
Why does chocolate sometimes bend instead of snap? When chocolate warms up in the low to mid 80s°F, the natural fats inside start to soften. That's what makes it bendy instead of firm. It happens to all real milk chocolate and is completely normal.
Why does chocolate snap sometimes and melt other times? It all comes down to temperature: cold chocolate snaps, warm chocolate bends and gets soft, and hot chocolate melts. That's how real chocolate has always behaved.
Is "floppy" chocolate safe to eat? Yes! Chocolate that gets soft from warmth is perfectly fine to eat. It will firm back up once it cools down.
Has the Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar recipe changed? The recipe has always used real milk chocolate. Real milk chocolate changes based on temperature and that's what it's supposed to do.