17-05-2025
Pennsylvania considers making Hershey Kiss the state candy
Could the classic Hershey Kiss chocolate drop become the official state candy of Pennsylvania?
Here's where the process stands on the state officially adopting the Hershey Kiss.
Published reports indicate the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted on Tuesday, May 13, in favor of a bill designating the Hershey Kiss as the official state candy of Pennsylvania.
House BIll 1030 pointed out the history of Hershey founder Milton Hershey and the impact the candy has had on Pennsylvania's economy.
"Hershey's supports many aspects of this Commonwealth's economy, including supporting this Commonwealth's proud dairy industry for more than 125 years through the company's use of fresh dairy milk that surrounds the company's chocolate factories," read a portion of HB 1030. "The globally beloved legacy of Milton Hershey and the products he created transformed Hershey into a tourist destination for visitors from around the world."
HB 1030 now goes to the Pennsylvania State Senate.
State Rep. Thomas Mehaffie sponsored HB 1030, and Reps. Kristin Marcell and Perry Warren were the cosponsors.
Mehaffie said the idea to make the Hershey Kiss the official state candy came from a Bucks County classroom project.
"A group of dedicated young Pennsylvanians formed a committee, researched Pennsylvania's confection history, and drafted a bill to establish Hershey's Kisses as the first-in-the-nation state candy," read Mehaffie's memo.
"We believe that denoting Hershey's Kisses as the state candy will not only bring more attention to our state and promote tourism, but also commemorate a company and candy that has forever impacted our state's economy and values."
Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Pennsylvania considers making Hershey Kiss the state candy
