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Hershey is dealing with "an unprecedented run-up in costs over the last couple of years" for fuel, dairy and other things. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22882731/)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Hersheys.jpgAP - Jan. 28, 2008

Dairy cows need grain, but it's scarcer - guess why? - Ed.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Hershey, the nation's largest candymaker (list of products (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_products_manufactured_by_The_Hershey_Company#Chocolate-based_products)), said it is raising the wholesale price of its chocolate bars for the second time in a year as energy and commodity costs spiral higher.

The Hershey Co. defended the move, saying it is more exposed to the rising cost of milk and cocoa than its competitors, which include Mars and Nestle.

"While we have no way of knowing what others are thinking, or what their cost situation is, we do know that within the category our products include far more pure milk chocolate and solid chocolate than our competitors," Hershey spokesman Kirk Saville said.

The price increase, effective immediately, boosts wholesale prices by 13 percent on standard chocolate bars, king-size bars, 6-packs and vending lines, or about one-third of its domestic candy line…http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22882731/

Great. Soon we (the general public) won't be able to afford the gas we put in our SUV's. That will cause us to get depressed. We'll go get chocolate to help our depression. #$%&! We can't afford a Hershey's Bar!

And the the hypermilers say, "We can get to the store and back on a teaspoon of gas. With all the money we're saving, we're going to celebrate by buying a Hershey's Bar!"

Oh no! This is not good news. I'm going to have to adjust my budget accordingly, maybe knock the thermostats down a couple more degrees in winter.. Maybe another brick in the toilet tanks.. Can't live without chocolate... Must have chocolate!

Great. Soon we (the general public) won't be able to afford the gas we put in our SUV's. That will cause us to get depressed. We'll go get chocolate to help our depression. #$%&! We can't afford a Hershey's Bar!

And the the hypermilers say, "We can get to the store and back on a teaspoon of gas. With all the money we're saving, we're going to celebrate by buying a Hershey's Bar!"

that, of course, will lead to even more overweight americans, who will then have to go back to the SUVs since they won't fit in smaller cars. it's a conspiracy, i tell you!! :eek:

dang. chocolate is my drug of choice, too. :(

Who on earth would want to eat bitter nasty Hershey's anyway. Much better choices.

Who on earth would want to eat bitter nasty Hershey's anyway. Much better choices.

For .50 cents it's not bad!!kevin

Who on earth would want to eat bitter nasty Hershey's anyway. Much better choices.Hershey's competitors will soon have to raise their prices for the same reasons.

While the cost of materials (grain->dairy, fuel->transportation) is driving up the price of chocolate, the labor cost of harvesting cocoa is still minimal. That's because Hershey's cocoa (and other non-fair trade cocoa like Mars and Nestle) is still harvested by child slaves in Africa. No matter how high inflation is on other costs, children who don't even know what chocolate tastes like can still be kidnapped and sold to harvest cocoa beans and will work for free.

Bitter Chocolate: Investigating the Dark Side of the World's Most Seductive Sweet (http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780679313199)

But we're Americans and in our minds, slavery hasn't existed for over a century. Whatever....eat up, fatty.

dang. chocolate is my drug of choice, too. :(

"I'm like a chocoholic, but for booze" -- The Onion.

A 13% rise in chocolate, this is absolutely aweful. How about the government subsidizing chocolate? Maybe we can enact a chocolate tax. Now that would be one tax I'd be happy to pay. Mmmmm, it's almost lunchtime, I have a Milkyway in my lunchbox calling my name.

When we went organic we gave up things like this, anyway. In its place we found 2 things to use.

A double-certified Fair Trade and Organic company from South America produces dark chocolate balls and carob clusters with pecans and caramel. Both are more costly than the crap that the American companies produce but they aren't nearly as bad for you (or the environment, or the people that make them and their ingredients), and they are absolutely delicious.

I don't know if they will remain available to us as Whole Foods (a.k.a. Whole Paycheck) bought out our Wild Oats store and seems intent on replacing everything we love with non-organic equivalents.


Addendum: For a look at the true nature of the chocolate industry in America see a show that was on the Discovery Times channel last year called "The Chocolate Wars".

Yeah, that was an interesting show, I did see it. Still like chocolate though (all types). I'll have to pass on the pecans (don't like nuts). Ever try Cadbury's chocolate made in England? It's very different for the Hershey's Licensed "Cadbury" chocolate. The Cadbury chocolate made in Ireland is different again..

Speaking of organic foods. I was recently impressed with the selection of "Organic foods" in my local Food Lion. Not sure where Food Lion is based, or how far their stores have migrated, but having become used to Publix over the past 10 years in Florida, I was reasonably impressed with my local Food Lion here in SC. Don't mean to hijack this thread.. ;)

Who on earth would want to eat bitter nasty Hershey's anyway.

Ooh, me me me, I'll take any you don't want...:Banane10:

And while reading this thread, at the bottom of the page was a banner add for Gearharts Fine Chocolates.

This promotional might have more power these days

Godiva offers a night in chocolate room (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22903236/)