Is Hershey real chocolate?
Henry Morales
Updated on April 11, 2026
Hershey's chocolate is made from cacao beans, milk, sugar, and cocoa butter, but the actual chocolate-making process begins long before that. In fact, it's a fascinating but labor-intensive process that will make you appreciate every sweet bite.
How much actual chocolate is in a Hershey bar?
Hershey's regular milk chocolate tops out at about 30 percent cacao.Why is Hershey's not real chocolate?
The removal of cocoa butter violates the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's definition of milk chocolate, so subtle changes have appeared on the labels of the Hershey's products with altered recipes. Products once labeled “milk chocolate” now say “chocolate candy,” “made with chocolate” or “chocolatey.”Is Hershey chocolate pure?
Learn the Varieties of CocoaBoth varieties contain 100 percent pure cocoa, but Hershey's processes the Special Dark with alkali. This process, known as dutching, makes it taste less bitter and look darker. Dutching also changes the nutrient content of cocoa, according to a 2017 report in the Journal of Food Science.