How a struggling dairyman turned a failed candy business into a global chocolate empire
In short: Before becoming a household name, H. B. Reese worked as a butcher, paper mill employee, and dairy farmer to support his sixteen children. His path to success was marked by multiple business failures and the Great Depression, yet he eventually revolutionized confectionery through automation and a simple peanut butter cup.
Harry Burnett Reese, born in 1879, spent his early career navigating various agricultural and manual labor roles. After managing dairy farms for Milton S. Hershey, Reese attempted to launch his own candy ventures, including the R&R Candy Company and the Superior Chocolate and Confectionery Company. These early efforts struggled, forcing him to juggle multiple jobs—including butchery and paper milling—to provide for his large family. It was only after returning to Hershey, Pennsylvania, in 1921 to work at The Hershey Company factory that he began experimenting with his own recipes in his home basement.
Reese’s breakthrough came in 1928, prompted by a customer’s feedback regarding a competitor’s peanut butter candy. By developing an automated manufacturing process, he created the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, which he sold for a penny. Despite the economic constraints of the Great Depression, the product’s popularity surged. Reese’s focus shifted entirely to this item during World War II, as material shortages forced him to discontinue his other confectionery lines. His commitment to automation and plant expansion allowed sales to double every four years, cementing the company's financial stability.
The legacy of the H. B. Reese Candy Company was secured in 1963, when his six sons merged the business with The Hershey Company. This strategic move proved immensely lucrative; by 2026, the original shares from the merger had grown into a multi-billion dollar holding. By 1969, the peanut butter cup had become the best-selling product for The Hershey Company, and by 2012, it held the top spot among all candy brands in the United States. Reese, who passed away in 1956, left behind a model of industrial efficiency that transformed a small-scale basement operation into a dominant force in the global sweets market.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: H. B. Reese
- Also: Wikidata — H. B. Reese · CC0
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