Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

    Reese's peanut butter cups are a candy that everyone knows and are almost everyone's favorite candy.  They are a delicious sweet treat with a decadent chocolate outside and a creamy peanut butter inside, in fact it's almost as if chocolate and peanut butter were made for each other.  Almost everyone could most likely agree though, that when they receive a bag they definitely cannot just eat one!  After some research I learned about the history of this very popular chocolate candy.
   The creator of the Reese's peanut butter cup was named Harry Burnett Reese.  He was born in Frosty Hill, Pennsylvania in 1879 to a farming family.  Harry was never very fond of farming and he moved to Hershey Pennsylvania in 1917.  He started working for Milton S. Hershey as a dairy employee.  Harry was very inspired by the success of the Hershey company and the wide variety of treats they sold and decided to start his own company, the H.B. Reese's Candy Company.  Harry then moved to Hummelstown and Palmyra where he sold Lizzie Bars, a caramel-molasses candy and Johnny Bars, a coconut candy.  Harry had some success with these treats but he ended up moving back to Hershey, Pennsylvania.  In the mid 1920's the H.B. Reese's Candy Company began making peanut butter cups.  At first these candies were sold in bulk, five pound boxes to be used in candy assortment boxes.  Then in the 1930's Reese's peanut butter cups were sold individually for a penny. During World War II, the company discontinued its other candy lines and focused on selling only peanut butter cups. In the 1940's and 1950's the Reese's peanut butter cup grew a lot in popularity and was sold to stores, vending machine companies, and wholesalers.  The bright orange and yellow packaging really helpde this candy to gain its popularity.  In 1957 the H.B. Reese's Candy Company opened a 100,000 square foot operating facility on Chocolate Avenue in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  Then in 1963 the Hershey Candy Company bought the H.B. Candy Company for 23.5 million dollars.  In 2004 D&D snack in the UK started distributed Reese's products and in 2008 Reeses pieces were added to the products sold in the UK where they have gained popularity.
   Peanut Butter cups continue to be a favorite candy of many people.  They are now sold in many sizes including, the mini cups, small cup, regular cup, big cup, and huge half-pound cup.  They also come in many varieties including ones with peanuts, ones coated with whites chocolate, Christmas tree shaped peanut butter cups for Christmas, pumpkins for Halloween, hearts for Valentine's day, and eggs for Easter. This candy is a very sucessful candy that is enjoyed by many.

Information from:
http://www.articlesbase.com/chocolate-articles/the-history-of-reeses-peanut-butter-chocolate-768114.html
http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/candy/old/history-of-peanut-butter.asp

Picture from:
http://freebiesformoms.net/2011/12/free-reeses-peanut-butter-cups-with-coupon-at-rite-aid/