Hershey’s outsourcing plans have a bitter taste

HERSHEY, Pa. Hershey’s cutbacks, plant closings and outsourcing have people questioning how “American” the “great American chocolate bar” is. As the chocolate company closes six American and Canadian plants to move production lines to plants in Mexico, 1,500 U.S. Jobs will be cut.

After 100 years of churning out Hershey chocolate, one central Pennsylvania plant will be silenced, along with two plants in Connecticut and California, as production moves to plants in Mexico, cutting 1,500 U.S. jobs. Three more plants in Canada also will be closed.

Company spokesman Kirk Saville said in a statement that moving more production lines to Mexico will help guarantee a majority of Hershey products will be made and sold in America. He added that the changes were necessary for the confectionary company to remain competitive in the global marketplace. “When these changes are complete, 90 percent of the items that Hershey sells in the United States and Canada will continue to be made in these countries,” he said

Saville also stated that Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, Hershey’s Kisses and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups will continue to be made in central Pennsylvania, but by fewer people.

But members of the Chocolate Workers Union Local 464, including Dennis Bomberger, are concerned outsourcing production will hurt products still made in the United States. “What we don’t want happening is the product we continue to make in Hershey [being] hurt by the perception that it’s made in Mexico,” Bomberger stated.