Hershey Has A Secret Chocolate Laboratory (But You Didn't Hear It From Us)

Hershey's chocolate is a timeless classic that generations have enjoyed since the company opened its doors in 1894. For over a century, The Hershey Company has perfected its craft of producing high-quality chocolate and other confectionery products. But did you know they have their own top-secret chocolate laboratory?

While the idea of a "secret chocolate lab" might immediately conjure images of Willy Wonka-esque rooms filled with fantastical creations like Everlasting Gobstoppers and oversized golden eggs oozing with chocolatey goodness, Hershey's facility seems to be more scaled back and practical than any Wonka factory. 

Hershey's hidden lab is a place where teams of research scientists and technicians test milk chocolate recipes and other sweet treats before they hit supermarket shelves. Each successful endeavor from this special research and development facility results in more delicious products for Hershey fans nationwide. 

While you can't pay a visit to this candy laboratory like you can the one down the road at Hersheypark, there's a good deal of information about just what goes on behind closed doors. (Unfortunately, we cannot confirm whether they have lickable wallpaper or chocolate rivers.)

Tucked away just a few miles from Hersheypark and Hershey's Chocolate World is a nondescript 250,000-square-foot building. Called the Technical Center, it's a chocolate lab off-limits to outsiders. While you're not allowed to tour or even peek inside, don't take the "no visitor" rule personally; the majority of people on Hershey's payroll couldn't tell you what it looks like inside, or what chocolaty trade secrets are being concocted behind closed doors.

What we do know about Hershey's secret chocolate lab is that it is nearly as secretive and maze-like as Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Sturdy doors divide winding hallways that lead to tucked-away labs full of machinery and shelves laden with bulk ingredients for the brand's chocolatiers to use for new product development (like their new vegan Reese's). In one 2015 video, Shawn Houser, Hershey's Director of Product Development at the time, told CNN Business, "We have scientists and engineers ... It takes science to make a chocolate bar."

At the time, the company's whimsical experiments included whipping up peanut butter hamburgers and personalized, 3D-printed treats. Houser went on to note that sensory taste experts are the lucky individuals trained to taste products before they get sent off for mass production. Where do we sign up for that job? Meanwhile, at the 2022 Sweets & Snacks Expo, the company released 24 new items including potato chip-filled Reese's Big Cups.

While we might never know what really goes on behind closed doors at Hershey's secret chocolate laboratory, there are ways you can enjoy non-secret chocolate experiences from one of the world's best chocolate brands. 

One of the easiest ways is to visit Hershey's Chocolate World, which, as mentioned, is just down the street from the brand's secret chocolate lab. From hopping on the free Chocolate Adventure ride to creating your very own personalized candy bar, delectable treats abound at this whimsical attraction.

Have an appetite for adventure? Then check out HERSHEY'S Unwrapped, a fun, interactive 30-minute show and sensorial experience that takes guests on an adventure into a chocolate lab with Doc Chocolate. It includes theatrical performances from what Hershey's calls "zany tasteologists" and a chance to devour everything inside of one of their Official Chocolate Tasting Kits.

On your way out, don't forget that the mega-store holds over 500 different Hershey's products from around the globe, so you can stock up on all your favorites or try something new. While it's no wild Willy Wonka adventure, it's pretty darn close.