The History of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups The History of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Creamy Hershey’s Milk chocolate coats the fresh rich peanut butter that fills a room with the exclusive smell that everyone knows as Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. The candy that was invented over 80 years ago has grown into one of America’s favorite Candies. I know what you might be thinking. Who created this Candy? How did he create it? Why is it Called Reese’s? Well, Harry Reese made his mark in history as a candy maker by making Peanut Butter Cups.
Though he faced some struggles in his attempts to become a candy man, he kept trying until it paid off. His candy company soared into success and made remarkable creations. And his creation of Peanut Butter Cups has taken off in many ways with tons of variety and choices now available. Because of the determination of Harry Reese, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups made their way to success and are even more popular today. Harry Burnett Reese was born on May 24, 1879, in Frosty Hill Pennsylvania. He spent most of his childhood growing up on a farm and as an adult he moved numerous times and had many jobs.
In 1900 he got married to Blanch Edna Hyson. Together they had 16 children, 8 boys and 8 girls. H. B. Reese’s first move was from Frosty Hill to Ditchly Virginia to be a fish package worker. Four years later he returned to Frosty Hill and resumed farming. H. B. Reese moved, in 1912, to Woodbine to work on a dairy farm. He moved again to Shawsbury Pennsylvania to work in a factory so their children could attend high school. When Hershey Company started advertising for dairy farmers H. B. Reese was interested. In 1916 he and his family went to Hershey PA and he got a job as a dairyman.
After 2 years Harry was promoted to manage the round Barn. Unfortunately it was shut down a year later. Without a job, H. B. Reese decided to start his own Candy Business near the town of Hummelstown PA. He named it R&R Candy Company. It started out selling raisins and chocolate almonds. He put advertisements for the new company in the local news paper. Despite his efforts, his business failed. After this, money for the family was tight. Reese’s next job was at Spring Grove Paper Mill. He would take on second and third jobs to keep his family on their feet. After brief stay in Spring Grove they returned to Hershey. Because the family was expanding they bought a home on Areba Avenue. The next job that H. B. Reese took was in Hershey chocolate factory in the shipping room. Several of his kids worked there as well. Reese’s idea of Venturing into his own candy business was sparked when he was working on one of the dairy farms. “If Hershey can sell a trainload of chocolate every day, I can at least make a living making candy. ” he declared. As soon as he had the money, Reese began buying ingredients and making candy in the basement of his house.
His creations were a variety of hard candies, chocolate covered nuts and raisins, and mints. He named some of his candy after his children. His candy made such a success; he quit his steady job in the factory and started his dream of making candy for a living. After Reese established his call for being a candy maker, he expanded his business. He rented the basement of the DeAngeles building on Chocolate Avenue. As sales continued to increase, Reese decided to build a new factory and house that was big enough for his family. In 1928 Reese invented the most important creation of the 19th century.
Well that may be a little exaggerated. The Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup was born in 1928. Along with this he made many other assortments of candy including coconut cream, peppermint cream, chocolate jets, nougat, marshmallow-nut, coated dates, coconut caramel, peanut clusters, raisin clusters, honey dew coconut, and nuttees. The candy was always hand coated on marble slabs, sometimes in the store window. Also assortments of candy was packaged in five pound boxes and sold for resale. In the 1930’s the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup became very popular.
Reese then sold it as a separate product. It was packaged in packs for 1 cent 2 cents or 5 cents. Eventually, Reese stopped the sales of all of his other products to focus on the cups. The Hershey chocolate corporation did not see Reese as a competitor but more as a customer. Reese bought all of his chocolate coating from Hershey. By the 1950’s the company was in need for another factory. The new factory was opened in 1957; however, Reese did not live to see it open. He passed away in 1956 and his company was left to his 6 sons.
The Hershey Chocolate Corporation bought the company in 1963. So what does it take to make a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup? Well, it’s not as old fashion as it used to be. The peanut butter is made by machine from real peanuts. And unlike the old fashion way of hand-coating the cups, it is now done by machine so that the cups appear flawless. All of the ingredients that are used to make Reese’s include Hershey milk chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, high fructose corn syrup, nonfat milk, milk fat, lactose, soy lecithin, emulsifiers, peanuts, dextrose, and salt.
Although Reese’s company was out of his hands after his death, it continued to grow at an unbelievable pace. Today there are over a dozen different varieties of Reese’s candy such as Miniature Reese’s, Whips, Crispy Crunch Bar, Big Cup, Caramel Cups, Marshmallow Cups, Banana Cups, Reese’s Pieces, Fast Break, White Chocolate, Nut Rageous, Peanut Butter Lovers, Chocolate Lovers, Inside out, Crunchy Cookie Cup, and plenty more products that contain the great taste of Reese’s. The success of Harry Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups today is immeasurable.
He worked hard for many years to turn his dream into his life. His candy company was something that he constructed from his passion for candy. Since the 1930’s and even still today, the delicious candy was proven to be a crowd favorite. And even though it was a struggle, Reese made millions of people happy by sharing his Peanut Butter Cups with the world. http://www. hersheys. com/products/details/reesespeanutbuttercups. asp http://www. hersheyarchives. org/faq/ http:/www. mahalo. com/Reeses_Peanut_Butter_Cups/
