Wilbur Chocolate Company
Encyclopedia
The Wilbur Chocolate Company is a chocolate manufacturing company
located in Lititz, Pennsylvania
. It was founded in 1865 by Henry Oscar Wilbur and Samuel Croft. It produces more than 150 million pounds (70 million kg) of chocolate a year, which is sold to major food companies and thousands of small shops.
The company was bought by Cargill
in 1992 and is presently part of that company's cocoa and chocolate labels, which also includes Peter's Chocolate (bought from Nestlé
in 2002), Gerkens Cacao, and Toshoku Ltd.
sells an assortment of Wilbur chocolates and other candy, and features the free Candy Americana Museum that tells the history of the company and how their chocolate is made. The exhibits include antique chocolate molds, tins and boxes, as well as hand-painted European and Oriental antique porcelain chocolate pots
. The museum was created by Penny Buzzard, wife of former Wilbur president John Buzzard, and opened in 1972.
, which debuted in 1907. The two products are also frequently compared due to the proximity of their manufacturers, Lititz being only about 20 miles (32 km) from the headquarters of The Hershey Company
in Hershey, Pennsylvania
. Wilbur Buds are not individually wrapped and have the word WILBUR on the bottom of the chocolate.
visited Wilbur Chocolate Company, thrusting it into the national spotlight. President-elect Obama greeted a sizable crowd outside before venturing inside to taste-test various treats offered to the calorie-conscious candidate. The hometown newspaper, the Lititz Record Express, documented his visit with a photo gallery.
Chocolatier
A chocolatier is someone who makes confectionery from chocolate. Chocolatiers are distinct from chocolate makers, who create chocolate from cacao beans and other ingredients.Professional chocolatiers study topics including the following:...
located in Lititz, Pennsylvania
Lititz, Pennsylvania
Lititz is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 6 miles north of the city of Lancaster.-History:Lititz was founded by members of the Moravian Church in 1756, and was named after a castle in Bohemia near the village of Kunvald where the ancient Bohemian Brethren's Church had...
. It was founded in 1865 by Henry Oscar Wilbur and Samuel Croft. It produces more than 150 million pounds (70 million kg) of chocolate a year, which is sold to major food companies and thousands of small shops.
The company was bought by Cargill
Cargill
Cargill, Incorporated is a privately held, multinational corporation based in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Founded in 1865, it is now the largest privately held corporation in the United States in terms of revenue. If it were a public company, it would rank, as of 2011, number 13 on the Fortune 500,...
in 1992 and is presently part of that company's cocoa and chocolate labels, which also includes Peter's Chocolate (bought from Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
in 2002), Gerkens Cacao, and Toshoku Ltd.
Wilbur Chocolate Factory & Candy Americana Museum
The company's Wilbur Chocolate Factory in LititzLititz, Pennsylvania
Lititz is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 6 miles north of the city of Lancaster.-History:Lititz was founded by members of the Moravian Church in 1756, and was named after a castle in Bohemia near the village of Kunvald where the ancient Bohemian Brethren's Church had...
sells an assortment of Wilbur chocolates and other candy, and features the free Candy Americana Museum that tells the history of the company and how their chocolate is made. The exhibits include antique chocolate molds, tins and boxes, as well as hand-painted European and Oriental antique porcelain chocolate pots
Hot chocolate
Hot chocolate is a heated beverage typically consisting of shaved chocolate, melted chocolate or cocoa powder, heated milk or water, and sugar...
. The museum was created by Penny Buzzard, wife of former Wilbur president John Buzzard, and opened in 1972.
Wilbur Buds
Its most popular candy, the Wilbur Bud, was introduced in 1893. The Wilbur Bud closely resembles a Hershey's KissHershey's Kiss
Hershey's Kisses is a brand of chocolate manufactured by The Hershey Company. The bite-sized pieces of chocolate have a distinctive shape, commonly described as flat-bottomed teardrops. Hershey's Kisses chocolates are wrapped in squares of lightweight aluminum foil with a narrow strip of paper...
, which debuted in 1907. The two products are also frequently compared due to the proximity of their manufacturers, Lititz being only about 20 miles (32 km) from the headquarters of The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company, known until April 2005 as the Hershey Foods Corporation and commonly called Hershey's, is the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America. Its headquarters are in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which is also home to Hershey's Chocolate World. It was founded by Milton S...
in Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey is a census-designated place in Derry Township, Dauphin County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The community is located 14 miles east of Harrisburg and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Hershey has no legal status as an incorporated municipality...
. Wilbur Buds are not individually wrapped and have the word WILBUR on the bottom of the chocolate.
2008 Presidential Campaign Visit
On Monday, March 31, 2008, then Senator Barack ObamaBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
visited Wilbur Chocolate Company, thrusting it into the national spotlight. President-elect Obama greeted a sizable crowd outside before venturing inside to taste-test various treats offered to the calorie-conscious candidate. The hometown newspaper, the Lititz Record Express, documented his visit with a photo gallery.
External links
- Wilbur Chocolate - company site
- Candy Americana Museum