Sweet celebration for new Hershey plant

(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania’s most beloved export provided the opportunity for some sweet relief in the midst of a difficult week in the commonwealth.

Local, state, and federal lawmakers gathered for a bipartisan celebration commemorating the opening of the first new Pennsylvania-based Hershey factory in 30 years, a billion dollar investment from the company.

Hershey CEO Michele Buck called the fully digitally integrated construction an “awesome achievement.” The facility employs 100 people and will continue to add workforce in the future.

Gov. Josh Shapiro praised the company for its economic impact in the state and also for the philanthropic work it does, noting that the company’s growth is a bright spot in what has been a dark moment for his office.

“It’s particularly good and meaningful for me to be here today in light of the events of this past weekend,” said Shapiro, whose family endured an arson attack in the early morning hours Sunday at the Governor’s Residence following a Passover celebration.

He called it one of Pennsylvania’s great companies and highlighted the Hershey footprint across the state and globe. In addition to attracting international visitors, the company uses 400 million pounds of milk daily to manufacture its chocolate, making it a vital support to the state’s dairy industry.

The company has factories outside the state, including several U.S. locations and plants in Brazil, Canada, India, Malaysia, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates. Shapiro noted that its a competitive landscape and attributed Hershey’s decision to open up another factory in its hometown in part to the work of local legislators and to permitting improvements that have been a key focus of his administration.

“What an awesome day,” said Hershey’s congressional representative for the 10th district, Republican Scott Perry. He marveled at the 5.4 billion Reese’s Peanut Butter produced annually and 70 million Hershey Kisses produced daily by the company.

Each of the lawmakers boasted about their own office’s chocolate consumption. Perry, along with state senator Democrat Patty Kim and state representative Republican Tom Mahaffie, were each able to claim their districts as “the sweetest on earth,” echoing the town of Hershey’s motto.

Mahaffie used the opportunity to promote his bill, House Bill 1030, which would give the state an official candy and make it the first in the nation to do so. The idea was brought to the legislature by a group of Bucks County girls dubbed the Hershey Kiss Committee. Mahaffie was hopeful that with Kim’s assistance in the senate, this would be the year the bill passes.