Wrapper Wednesday: Hershey’s

‘Twas Independence Day yesterday, which meant celebrating all things ‘America’ for my family here in the states (plus eating too many burgers and ice cream). And what’s more American than Hershey’s chocolate?

Hershey’s Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate

As the lower wrapper proclaims, Hershey’s chocolate has been in production since 1894, and it was the first milk chocolate brand to be produced in the country. Created by dedicated entrepreneur Milton Snavely Hershey (who made his first millions with a successful caramel company by the way), Hershey brand chocolate and chocolate goods have come to personify the taste of chocolate for an entire nation.

It’s certainly an acquired taste! To many, Hershey’s milk chocolate tastes sour, and has also been described as tasting like ‘vomit’ (but the tale around that is another story…)

Throughout the decades, Hershey’s branding has remained steadfast since adopting the silver and maroon design in 1906.

Hershey’s ‘Dark Chocolate‘ is now marketed as ‘Special Dark‘ mildly sweet chocolate – I’m not sure when this change was implemented (some of my American chums I’m sure could tell me), but it’s also interesting to note the use of the beveled edges, and lower shadow on the type face. It gives the lettering a bolder, harder, almost metallic effect versus the silver colour on its own.

Two different wrappers, two different products, but both undeniably ‘Hershey’s‘.

Wrapper Wednesday: Bartons Million Dollar Bars

Which would you rather have? A million dollars? Or a million ‘Million Dollar‘ chocolate bars? Let’s take a look at a couple of ‘Bartons Million Dollar‘ candy bars while we mull that one over, hmm?

Bartons peppermint dark chocolate bar

Bartons milk chocolate bar

I was initially attracted to these because they carry my name! Once a Barton, always a Barton! But I do believe that’s where our similarities end!

Founded in New York, 1938, by Viennese refugee Stephen Klein (but whose roots go back to 1898), Bartons produced quality, yet affordable, European-style chocolate and became very popular within the city’s Jewish community for its Kosher certification. Their chocolates, bon bons, barks and toffees were particularly enjoyed during the Passover festival.

Also producing chocolate treats such as ‘Almond Kisses‘ and ‘Coffee Candy‘ under the line ‘Barton’s Bonbonniere’, the company ceased operation in 2009 before coming back on the market: albeit in a considerably smaller scale.

There’s something unusually familiar about American currency. Even if you haven’t been to the country, thanks to film and tv many of us can instantly recognise US paper money. Perhaps that’s what initially caught my eye when I spotted the gold/green milk chocolate bar in an independent UK sweet shop. Similar colour, similar design to real cash dollars: it’s a fun theme with a weirdly grown up appearance.

The shiny silver wrapper belonging to the dark peppermint flavour also has these ‘wealthy’ undertones, despite it being a novelty chocolate bar. I love it! Even adults need some escapism from time to time…can you imagine if these were real? It’s fun stuff!

And tasty chocolate if I remember rightly…I’d expect nothing less from a Barton.

Wrapper Wednesday: Junior Mints Hearts

Love is in the air, woah woah woah, love is in the air! In the spirit of Valentines Day next week, today I have a love-themed wrapper (and sweets) for today’s Wrapper Wednesday: Junior Mints Hearts.

Junior Mints, Heart Shaped edition

 ‘America’s favorite chocolate covered creamy mint’ was invented in 1949 and took their name from a popular Broadway show ‘Junior Miss‘.

Similar to British ‘Poppets‘, Junior Mints are bite-sized pieces of peppermint crème coated in dark chocolate. As you can see from these pictures, the minty centre are slightly runnier than the crème inside a mint ‘Poppet‘; and for this special Valentines edition, some of the centres have been coloured red (which in my opinion is slightly off-putting).

Nevertheless, it’s a fun-filled novelty fit for the romantic holiday. Due to the large size of these special heart-shaped candies this Junior Mints box is deeper than a traditional packet – and I really appreciate the ‘actual size’ illustrations featured on the front. Show off them big old choccies!

A big heart calls for a bigger candy

Which chocolates will you be sharing/devouring this Valentines?

Wrapper Wednesday: Hershey’s Cocoa & Cookbook

It’s a double feature on this week’s Wrapper Wednesday: showcasing a classic ‘Hershey’s Cocoa‘ tin and corresponding 1934 Cookbook from the USA.

Hershey’s 1934 Cookbook (1970’s reprint) and Hershey’s Cocoa ‘special offer’ tin

Hershey Cocoa has also been around since the company’s opening in 1894 – the original design featured a baby in a cocoa pod. Dubbed the ‘Cocoa Bean Baby‘ this chubby cherub also appeared on some of the early chocolate bar wrappers. Founded by Milton Snavely Hershey, ‘Hershey’s‘ has come to define ‘chocolate‘ for an entire nation for well over a century.

This tin carries the classic maroon and silver colours (in use since 1906), bold, elongated sans serif font with a little extra flash of Reese’s colouration front and back. This is a promotional tin from the 1970’s/1980’s – if you sent the company $1.50 you would receive a ‘Hershey 1934 Cookbook‘ – a reprint of popular 1930’s cakes, desserts, icings, beverages and confections all made with Hershey cocoa, chocolate and syrup!

Icing, glazes and sauces

Some of the most intriguing recipes include; demon cake, cocoa potato cake, marshmallow peppermint icing, baked chocolate rice pudding and chocolate Turkish paste.

I believe this promotion ran for around three decades, so the results from some of these recipes must have been popular!

And even if you didn’t send off for the book, there’s a recipe for ‘old fashioned cocoa cake‘ and ‘cocoa fudge frosting‘ on the sides of the tin; with a great illustration of the 1934 Cookbook on the reverse.

Fear not, there are free recipes on each side of the cocoa tin.

The book is spiral bound, includes a brief introduction to American life during the 1930’s and has several full page colour illustrations. ‘Hershey’s 1934 Cookbook‘ is an ideal rainy day activity, and has plenty of tasty ideas for celebrations, parties and for good home cookin’ (“just like your mother did”).

Also note how the book is also adorned in the company’s timeless colours. Just like the ‘Cadbury Purple’, the strength of the maroon and silver branding is a great example of how a company, a product, a simple treat, can be instantly recognized by a pigment alone. It’s a never changing identity and strengthens a cohesive brand.

Although I’m not a fan of Hershey milk chocolate…or syrup…(I haven’t tried the cocoa yet) I do think this was good value at roughly $8.99 in today’s money, and I’ll definitely be trying some of the recipes myself.

Do any of you have this cookbook, or grew up with some of these recipes? Which treats do you recommend?

Fact Friday: Cracker Jack Mascots

Did you know that the Cracker Jack mascots ‘Sailor Jack‘ and ‘Bingo‘ the dog were modelled on real figures?

The popular American popcorn, molasses and peanut based snack ‘Cracker Jack‘ has been produced since 1893 when an early version of the mix went on sale at the Chicago World’s Fair. Created by German immigrant brothers Frederick and Louis Rueckheim the ‘Candied Popcorn and Peanuts’ were not branded as ‘Cracker Jack‘ until 1896. Urban legends tell us that the snappy name came from a delighted customer, who upon tasting the snack, exclaimed that it was a real ‘cracker jack’ – slang for something meaning ‘great‘ or ‘wonderful‘ at the time.

Vintage Cracker Jack box, featuring the early red, white and blue colour scheme

In 1918 (or there abouts) Cracker Jack mascots ‘Sailor Jack’ and ‘Bingo‘ the dog were added to the patriotic-coloured boxes. Sailor Jack was modeled on Frederick Rueckheim’s grandson Robert, who unfortunately died of pneumonia several years earlier, at the age of eight.

Sailor Jack and Bingo feature on a patriotic, vintage advert

Bingo the dog was inspired by adopted pet ‘Russel‘ who was owned by the Rueckheim’s business partner Henry Eckstein: the inventor of the revolutionary wax-lined ‘triple proof bag’ that kept the popcorn and peanuts fresh.

The chipper duo can still be found on boxes and bags of Cracker Jack snacks today over a century later.

Contemporary bag of Cracker Jack popcorn

Cracker Jack’s iconic ‘prize in every box’ marketing campaign is also a current feature. Starting in 1912 after an initial two years of including ‘prize coupons’, packs used to contain the likes of of small toys, baseball cards, dolls, decoder rings and costume jewellery. Modern prizes now often come in the form of stickers, temporary tattoos or jokes.

Fact Friday: Hershey, Pennsylvania

Did you know that the town of Hershey, Pennsylvania was originally going to be called ‘Hersheykoko‘?

Built as a factory town around the developing Hershey chocolate company, the town of Hershey was established in 1903 in an area near Derry Church – which was the founder’s (Milton Snavely Hershey) American hometown.

Hershey (the man) had been inspired by what the Cadbury brothers Richard and George had created at their Bournville Village site, a few miles outside of Birmingham, England, some twenty years prior. The new chocolate-producing Bournville factory had gained the title ‘factory in a garden‘, and the area around it had developed into a bright, green and clean village for the Cadbury workers, designed and built by the Cadbury family.

Bournville postcard

In 1904, the Hershey chocolate company held a competition to name the new town they had built (under Milton’s careful gaze). Suggestions from the workers and residents included; ‘Ideal‘, ‘Majestic‘, ‘Oasis‘, ‘Zenith’ and ‘St. Milton’s’.

The ‘Chocolate Town’ with its creator and namesake, Milton Hershey

The winner was submitted by a Mrs. TK Doyle, who had proposed the name ‘Hersheykoko‘.

However, the winning name was also much disliked, including by Milton Hershey’s wife Kitty. And it was eventually rejected by the Post Office for sounding ‘too commercial’.

The name of ‘Hershey‘ was by far the most popular submission and was accepted by the federal government.

Commemorative plaque in Hershey, Pennsylvania (note the Hershey Kisses’ shaped lamppost in the background)

The first US mail addressed to the town of ‘Hershey‘, Pennsylvania, arrived on 7th February 1906.

What would you have named the new chocolate town?

Fact Friday: Baby Ruth

Did you know that the American candy bar ‘Baby Ruth’ is named after a dead little girl?

Well, that’s what Otto Schnering – the inventor of the candy bar – would have you think!

Originally marketed as ‘Kandy Kake’ which contained a mixture of milk chocolate, peanuts and a pudding center, the bar was reformulated in 1921 by the Chicago-based Curtiss Candy Company, and was rebranded as the ‘Baby Ruth’.

The chunky, chewy chocolatey bar composed of peanuts, nougat, caramel and milk chocolate was a roaring success. Its 5 cents price tag meant that the all new ‘Baby Ruth’ was considerably cheaper than other competing countlines and the apparent link to famed baseball player Babe Ruth appeared to create a winning combination.

Curtiss’ Baby Ruth chocolate bar

By 1921 – the year that the chocolate bar ‘Baby Ruth’ hit stores – New York Yankees player ‘Babe’ George Herman Ruth Jr was at the height of his career and was a national sporting celebrity. So…is it mere coincidence that this best selling new candy bar had a very similar name to one of the biggest known figures in America at the time?

In 1926 baseball player Babe decided to enter the candy industry lending his image and name to a new bar ‘Babe Ruth’s Own Candy’, but came under attack by Curtiss Candy Co. for copyright infringement against their own bar the ‘Baby Ruth’. Many assumed that the chocolate bar had taken its name from the baseball player, riding on his coattails in order to sell their product.

Baby Ruth vs. Babe Ruth

In court Curtiss proclaimed that their best selling product had nothing to do with the sporting legend and was in fact named in tribute to President Cleveland’s daughter Ruth…who had been dead for seventeen years! Unlikely – yes…but the court agreed with the candy company and the original Babe Ruth lost his case and was found to be trying to cash in on the success of Curtiss’ product!

Many people believe that Otto Schnering and the Curtiss Candy Company managed to pull off an example of ‘ambush marketing’ – riding on the back of someone’s fame for financial gain without paying the original source.

So what do you think? Was the long-enduring ‘Baby Ruth’ bar really named after a dead little girl? Or did the Curtiss Candy Company steal the good name of baseball player Babe Ruth to sell their new chocolate bar?

Who do you think the bar was named after?

Fact Friday: Wrigley’s Gum

Did you know that in 1932 William Wrigley Jr. invented the handy ‘opener tape’ feature (now often found on packets of gum and rolls of candy) when he placed it on his own gum products?

The chewing gum magnate, best known for Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit (1893), Spearmint (1893) and Double Mint (1914) stick packs, began his career as a soap salesman in the 1890’s. William Wrigley was an innovative seller, and to increase the sales of his soap and baking soda products, he often gave away extra incentives to sweeten the deal, such as coffee grinders, candy gum and gum.

Wrigley’s Soap advertisement

When the gum proved more popular than the soap and powders, Wrigley saw the opportunity to expand into the market. With his excellent marketing strategies his range of chewing gums quickly became a household name and one of the leading American gum brands by the 1930’s.

Vintage Wrigley’s Spearmint gum

In 1915 William Wrigley also sent a free stick of gum to every address listed in the US phone books, stating that if they can afford to be listed in a phone book, they can afford to buy his gum!

1910’s Wrigley adverts

Fact Friday: Mashed Potato Ice Cream

Did you know that Milton Hershey tried to make an ice cream out of mashed potato?

The chocolate and caramel entrepreneur Milton Snavely Hershey (1857-1945), most famous for producing America’s first milk chocolate bar in 1900, was an avid inventor and spent much of his time experimenting with new flavours, chocolates and concepts throughout his confectionery career.

Known for his less than scientific approach, Milton’s method of confectionery experimentation often involved having a unique idea then dabbling with it by adding a bit of this and a dash of that, trying all sorts of production methods and materials. This ‘mad inventor’ style of working resulted in some rather interesting formulas…

Milton Hershey, and his adored wife Kitty

Mashed potato, sweet potato, oatmeal and cream of wheat were just some of the ingredients Milton thought would create a fabulous milk-free ice cream. During the 1940’s, he was concerned that the outbreak of war would result in food rationing, and so he endeavored to create his own solution before the problem arose.

The final product was named ‘Victory Whip’ and contained ingredients such as rice flour, peanut oil, sugar, salt and seaweed, and was sold in three flavours; chocolate, vanilla and raspberry.

Not only was it surprisingly tasty, it was also half the price of regular ice cream! But despite its local success, Hershey decided not to launch the product further as he did not want to risk aggravating the local dairy farmers – many of which supplied the Hershey factory directly.

Milton Hershey enjoying a mashed potato 99 ice cream (not a real photo obviously)!

Legend has it that when the Pennsylvanian secretary of agriculture was sent to investigate this cheap, milk-less ice cream, he was so impressed with Victory Whip that he bought three gallons of it and served it at a party where no one guessed that it was a ‘fake’ product!

Fact Friday: Snickers the Horse

Did you know that the American chocolate bar ‘Snickers’ is named after a horse?

Invented in 1930 by Frank Mars, the founder of the Mars empire, the peanut, caramel and nougat confection was only the second chocolate bar to be produced by Mars Inc, following their debut with the ‘Milky Way’ in 1924. Before the company was able to invest in machinery, the countline Snickers was made by pouring, layering, dipping and cutting the shaped ingredients by hand.

1930’s/1940’s Snickers box

The bar was given the name ‘Snickers’ in the United States after one of the family’s favourite racehorses. Snickers, along with several other stable mates, lived on Fred and Ethel Mars’ Tennessee farm…called the ‘Milky Way Farm‘! Sadly Snickers the horse died two months before the chocolate bar’s launch, and was so named in his memory.

In Britain however the candy was marketed as ‘Marathon’ until 1990. Like many chocolate bars invented in the early 20th century, Snickers was advertised as a healthy and energising food stuff, and supposedly this is where the name ‘Marathon’ came from…urban rumors also say that the name ‘Snickers’ sounded too similar to the word ‘knickers‘, and the gentile men and women of the United Kingdom simply couldn’t tolerate such an idea…that all sounds a bit daft!

Twins – Marathon and Snickers

In recent years Mars has released a ‘retro edition’ of the Snickers, temporarily bringing us back a taste of nostalgia as the ‘Marathon’ once again can be bought in supermarkets (the recipe is all the same, it’s a marketing ploy first released to celebrate the bar’s 85th birthday).

Fact Friday: The Toffee King

Do you know how the ‘Toffee King’, John Mackintosh of Halifax, intended to storm the US confectionery market?

Former cotton mill worker John Mackintosh (1868-1920) began making toffees with his wife Violet from their pastry shop in the town of Halifax, Yorkshire, in the 1880’s. At a time where rival confectioners were creating bright, sugary candy pieces and focusing on mastering the art of eating chocolate, the Mackintosh’s simple, yet tasty toffees, struck a chord with local buyers. Using only sugar and butter, the homely sweets swiftly gained in popularity and following the success of lines such as ‘Mackintosh’s Celebrated Toffee’, by 1896 he had proclaimed himself the ‘Toffee King’, and his product ‘The King of All Toffees’.

Extra cream ‘Old Original Toffee’ tin

In a 1900’s American advertising campaign, Mackintosh boldly claimed:

“I am John Mackintosh – The Toffee King – Sovereign of Pleasure – Emperor of Joy. My Old English Candy – Mackintosh’s Toffee – tickles the palettes of my millions of subjects. I was crowned by the lovers of good things to eat. My Court Jester’s name is Appetite. My most loyal subjects are the dear little children. I rule over the Kingdom of Health and Happiness. There is no oppression in my domain. My regime is one of enjoyment and delight. My throne is guarded by an Imperial Unarmed Army of Candy-makers. My coronation took place many years ago. I am an unusual monarch – all my subjects are knighted. Those who become members of my Royal Court must eat Mackintosh’s Toffee at least once a day in the year.

My recipe for the manufacture of Mackintosh’s Toffee is unequaled. My candy kitchen is the largest in the world. Hundreds of tonnes of toffee are sold each week in England. Think of it! I am the world’s largest consumer of butter. My own herd of prize winning cattle grazing on the Yorkshire hills supply me with my milk. I buy sugar by the train load.

I have a legation in all parts of North America. Ask your dealer for it. If he does not sell it, show him this decree. If you do this for me I will confer upon you the Order of the Milk of Human Kindness.

I am, John Mackintosh, The Toffee King of England, and I rule alone.”

American advertisement for Mackintosh, ‘The Toffee King’

In 1904 Mackintosh opened a number of sweet shops in the USA and Canada, but with the Americans being unfamiliar with both the product and the term ‘toffee’, sales were slow compared to the commonwealth of Canada, where toffee was a must more familiar product.

Despite not making the impact that he initially anticipated, John Mackintosh’s Toffee King decree would have certainly caught the attention of potential buyers! During his candy career Mackintosh realsied the importance of advertising and product promotion; decrees like this, handing out flyers and promotional tours around Europe all aided the confectioner in establishing his candy empire.

The Toffee King advertises in America

The Mackintosh company are perhaps also well known for the invention of the Quality Street assortment in 1936, and caramel and chocolate Rolo in 1937.

Fact Friday: Candy’s Dandy Keep It Handy

Did you know that in the 1940’s there was a food advertising campaign with the very catchy slogan ‘Candy’s Dandy Keep It Handy’?

Released by the National Confectioners Association, the series of images featured a selection of wholesome American citizens enjoying a variety of chocolate and candy snacks at home and in the work place.

‘The Crave For Candy’ – 1947

At the time, candy and chocolate bars were heavily marketed as a nourishing and sustaining ‘food’, both in America and in the UK. With natural ingredients such as sugar, milk, cocoa, fruits and nuts, candy bars and candy selection boxes were pushed as the ideal meal replacement, energy boost and healthy snack.

The advertising posters portrayed home-makers, secretaries, sports-players, manual workers, flight attendants, hunters, children and idealistic young couples all enjoying a chocolaty snack and expressing the energy-giving benefits.

‘For work or play, there’s ‘Can Do’ in candy’.

In order to be the best American you can be, you’ve got to look after your body, and (not surprisingly), according to the National Confectioners Association, the best way to do that is to eat a stimulating candy bar after a hard day’s work or activity.

Even the Slough-based chocolate bar Mars recognized these selling points, coining their most iconic tagline ‘A Mars A Day Helps You Work, Rest and Play’ in 1959 (this was later shortened to ‘Work, Rest, Play’). The chocolate, whipped nougat and caramel bar today is still a go-to snack for those needing a glucose boost.

What I find interesting about these adverts, is that unlike so many traditional confectionery adverts, these are not solely aimed at women consumers, or at men purchasing candy as gifts for their womanly sweethearts. In this campaign, candy is advertised as a ‘delicious food’ for all healthy and active people, so in some sense, it is a more inclusive picture of candy consumers of the time.

A manual worker and skier take an candy-fueled energy break

The images do portray gender stereotypes of 1940’s society; the home-maker bushed from doing her ‘duty by the dishes’, and the beautiful blonde tired from being in her kitchen, but it somewhat refreshing to see men as a targeted market for sugary treats in these vintage advertisements.

So, remember that ‘Candy’s Dandy Keep It Handy’ – even the ‘scientific folks know it’!

Fact Friday: Hershey’s Copy Cat Chocolate

Did you know that in 1905, Milton Hershey and his company, were sued by a Swiss chocolate firm for infringing on their own chocolate bar wrapper design?

Since 1903 (ish) the Hershey Bar colours were maroon and gold, and it is documented that Milton took great inspiration from many European chocolatiers when producing and establishing his own milk chocolate.

However, the Daniel Peter confectioners of Switzerland (inventing some of the world’s first milk chocolate in 1875), along with the Société Générale Suisse de Chocolats, filed a law suit in 1905 complaining that he had clearly copied their design and colours of maroon and gold.

A Hershey bar wrapper circa 1903-1906 in comparison to the Daniel Peter chocolate bar

The lawsuit was dropped after Milton Hershey agreed to make changes to his packaging – which in 1906 resulted in the maroon and silver designs you still see today!

The first silver and maroon wrapper 1906-1911, followed by a more familiar design 1936-1939