Hershey\'s_kisses

Hershey\'s Kisses filled with caramel.

Hershey\'s Kisses are a type of chocolate manufactured by The Hershey Company. The bite-sized pieces of chocolate have a distinctive shape, commonly described as flat-bottomed teardrops. Hershey\'s Kisses are wrapped in squares of lightweight aluminum foil with a narrow strip of paper protruding from the top.

The Kisses are one of the most popular candies in the world. In 1989, the chocolate drops were the 5th most popular chocolate in the United States, spawning sales that topped $400 million dollars. More than 80 million Hershey\'s Kisses are produced each day at the company\'s two factories. Today\'s Kisses use Hershey\'s original milk chocolate formula.

In 2006 Hershey\'s Kissables were introduced as a bite sized, candy coated alternative to Kisses.

Contents 1 History 2 Kiss varieties 2.1 United States 2.2 International 3 Wrapper varieties 4 Paper Plume 4.1 Valentine\'s Day 4.2 Special Occasions 5 Trivia 6 References 7 External links

History

Hershey\'s Kisses were introduced in 1907. A common myth is that the name comes from an appropriation of a common industry term for a dab of chocolate. However, the "kissing" action by the machines used to make the chocolate is the reason. In a strange court case, hard rock band Kiss filed suit against the Pennsylvania-based company for, what drummer Peter Criss stated "stealing their well-known name." Peter Criss Biography Book The Cat in The Hat Behind the Kit

Another Pennsylvania chocolatier, the Wilbur Chocolate Company, had been making a similar product known as Wilbur Buds since 1893. The shape and size of those candies likely served as an inspiration for Hershey\'s Kisses.

Hershey\'s Kisses were originally wrapped by hand. Automated wrapping began in 1921. The same automatic wrapping process allowed for the insertion of the distinctive paper "plume," that the company used to guarantee that consumers were getting the genuine Hershey product, rather than an imitation. This thin paper strip was registered as a company trademark in 1924.

Hershey\'s Kisses have been produced continuously since 1907, except for the period of time between 1942 and 1949. Rationing of raw materials during World War II made the aluminum foil for the wrappers a scarce commodity.Brenner, Joël Glenn (2000). The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey & Mars. Broadway Books. ISBN 0-7679-0457-5.

The Hershey kisses are called "kisses" because of the kissing sound they made while being manufactured.

Kiss varieties

A Hershey\'s Hug attached to a small pretzel with a piece of chocolate

Though originally made of solely milk chocolate, many variations of the Kiss have since been introduced. Hershey\'s introduces and discontinues new flavors constantly. As of January 2008, some of the flavors available throughout the year includehttp://www.hersheys.com/kisses/products/index.asp:

United States

• Milk Chocolate
• Chocolate Mint
• Dulce de Leche (white chocolate caramel filled)
• Caramel Filled
• Peanut butter Filled
• Cherry Cordial Creme Filled
• Vanilla Creme
• New York Cheesecake
• Lemon Creme
• Orange Creme
• Trio (white, milk and dark chocolates in one)
• Coconut Creme
• Dark Chocolate

International

• Hazelnut (May only be found in Asian markets)
• Green Tea (May only be found in Asian markets)
• Creamy Milk Chocolate (found in Europe)
• Creamy Milk Chocolate with Almonds (found in Europe)
• Cookies n\' Creme (white chocolate with oreo-like cookie bits - found in Europe)
• Crunchy Cookie (milk chocolate with oreo-like cookie bits - found in Europe)

Wrapper varieties

Hershey\'s Kisses were originally wrapped in silver foil, and were only available in this color for decades. 1962 marked the first year that Kisses were available in different colored foil wrappers: red, green, and silver-wrapped candies were manufactured to coincide with the Christmas season. In 1968, pastel blue, pink, and green wrappers were introduced for Easter, and in 1986, Valentine\'s Day-themed wrappers of red and silver were introduced. Xs and Os have also appeared on pink and red wrappers as well as little red hearts on silver wrappers for Valentine’s Day. "Fall Harvest" colors were introduced in 1991. 4th of July has silver with red stipes and blue-starred wrappers. Pink wrappers with "ribbons" on them to support breast cancer have also appeared. Camouflage wrappers are also available. The standard silver wrappers are available year-round.

Paper Plume

In addition to the standard "Hershey\'s" paper plume and the special variety plumes (such as "cheesecake") there have been special message have been available for various occasions, including:

Valentine\'s Day

• A Kiss for You
• Happy Valentine

Special Occasions

• Just Married
• It\'s a Boy
• It\'s a Girl

Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

^{[citations needed]}

• As a sign of the popularity and company identification of Hershey\'s Kisses, the streetlights of Hershey, Pennsylvania, are shaped like Kisses, both wrapped in foil and as plain chocolate, dangling from the poles.
• After many PIAA postseason sporting events, Hershey Kisses are tossed onto the playing surface, signifying that the team will be going to the finals, held at various venues in Hershey, Pennsylvania including the Giant Center and Hersheypark Stadium.
• In 2007, The US Postal Service issued a postage stamp commemorating the Hershey\'s Kiss.
• The World\'s Largest Hershey\'s Kisses Chocolate weighed 30,540 lbs.
• The longest ever consecutive string of Hershey\'s Kisses was more than four miles long. It was laid in the spring of 2003 to raise money for the Children\'s Miracle Network at Penn State Children\'s Hospital. The event earned a listing in the Guinness Book of World Records.

References

External links

• Official Hershey\'s Kisses website
• Zoe\'s Hershey Kiss Collection

v • d • e Confectionery products of The Hershey Company
Chocolate-based:	5th Avenue • Almond Joy • Bar None (discontinued) • Cherry Blossom • Fast Break • Glosette • Heath bar • Hershey bar • Hershey Kiss • Hershey\'s Kissables • Hershey\'s Cookies \'n\' Creme • Hershey\'s Pops • Hershey\'s S\'mores • Kit Kat* • Krackel • Milk Duds • Mounds • Mr. Goodbar • Oh Henry!† • Rolo* • Reese\'s Peanut Butter Cup • ReeseSticks • Skor • Snack Barz • Take 5 (also known as Max 5) • Whatchamacallit • Whoppers • York Peppermint Pattie • Swoops
Non-chocolate:	Bubble Yum • Good & Plenty • Ice Breakers • Jolly Rancher • Koolerz • PayDay • Reese\'s Pieces • Twizzlers • ZAGNUT • ZERO
* This product is marketed in a number of countries, but is produced by the Hershey Company only within the United States. † This product is marketed in both the United States and Canada, but is produced by the Hershey Company only within Canada. Hershey also manufactures Cadbury-branded products in the U.S. and military chocolate for the U.S. armed forces.

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