Alternate Chocolate Brands

Overview

Numerous alternatives to Hershey's exist for those seeking better quality, ethical sourcing, or more complex flavors. Hershey's is a mass-market brand often criticized for its waxy texture and overly sweet, one-note flavor, a result of replacing cocoa butter with cheaper vegetable oils. 

*Note all chocolate brands listed below are linked.

Ethical and Sustainable Alternative

Many chocolate lovers switch to brands with a transparent supply chain and fair labor practices, a factor for which Hershey's has received criticism. 

• Tony's Chocolonely : A Certified B Corp that aims to make all chocolate 100% slave-free, using fair-trade cocoa and transparent sourcing. The bars come in fun flavors and chunky, unevenly portioned blocks to represent the inequality of the chocolate industry.

• Alter Eco : This brand sources its ingredients from small-scale, fair-trade farms and uses recyclable or compostable packaging. It is also a Certified B Corp and carbon-neutral.

• Equal Exchange : A co-op owned by farmers, this brand specializes in organic and fair-trade products. Some bars even list the specific farm where the cocoa beans were grown.

• Theo Chocolate : As the first organic and fair-trade certified chocolate maker in the U.S., Theo is known for its wide variety of flavors and sustainable practices. 

Higher-quality and More Flavorful Alternatives

For a more nuanced and intense flavor experience, these artisan and high-end brands offer a significant step up from Hershey's.

• Ghirardelli Chocolate : A widely available American brand that is a considerable upgrade, offering a smoother, richer chocolate. Their squares come in many varieties, such as sea salt caramel and different dark chocolate percentages.

• Lindt : A Swiss brand famous for its smooth, creamy flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Its Lindor truffles and Excellence bars are a popular step up from drugstore brands.

• Godiva This Belgian brand is known for its luxurious, creamy texture and rich, complex flavor. Godiva is more widely available and offers a significant quality improvement over Hershey's.

• Valrhona : A top-tier French brand favored by pastry chefs for its premium, high-quality chocolate. It offers an impressive range of flavor profiles and cacao percentages.

• Scharffen Berger : An American craft chocolate company known for its higher cacao content and complex, rich flavor. Scharffen Berger was a pioneer of the "bean-to-bar" movement in the U.S. 

Why Switch From Hershey's

Beyond a desire for better taste, there are several compelling reasons to seek out alternative chocolate brands:

Higher-quality ingredients: Premium brands use more cocoa solids and cocoa butter, resulting in a richer, smoother, and more authentic chocolate taste. Many consumers describe Hershey's as having a "waxy" mouthfeel due to its use of vegetable oil substitutes.

Ethical labor practices: Many alternative brands prioritize ethical sourcing by ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions for cocoa farmers. The Hershey company has faced public criticism regarding allegations of unfair and exploitative labor practices.

Wider range of flavors: Craft and premium chocolatiers offer a greater diversity of complex flavor notes that reflect the specific origin and processing of the cacao beans, a contrast to Hershey's simple, one-dimensional sweetness.

Concerns over heavy metals: Recent Consumer Reports tests found elevated levels of lead and cadmium in some of Hershey's dark chocolate products, raising health concerns. Many consumers prefer brands that do not have this issue