Milton S. Hershey

Milton S. Hershey invented Hershey chocolate. After finding success with the Lancaster Caramel Company, he founded the Hershey Chocolate Company in 1894 in Pennsylvania. In 1900, he sold his caramel business for $1 million to focus exclusively on developing mass-produced, affordable milk chocolate.Milton Hershey revolutionized the candy industry by transforming milk chocolate from a luxury Swiss product into an affordable treat for everyone. He perfected his signature recipe and began construction on a massive, state-of-the-art factory in his hometown of Derry Township (now known as Hershey, Pennsylvania) in 1903, which opened in 1905.