Type: Public
On the web: http://www.thehersheycompany.com
Employees: 13,500
Employee growth: (1.5%)

The Hershey Company will cover you in Kisses and bring you Almond Joy. The company makes such well-known chocolate and candy brands as Hershey's Kisses, Reese's peanut butter cups, Twizzlers licorice, Mounds candy bars, York Peppermint Patty, and Kit Kat (licensed from Nestlé). Hershey also makes grocery goods, including baking chocolate, ice-cream toppings, chocolate syrup, cocoa mix, cookies, snack nuts, hard candies, and lollipops. Products from the chocolate purveyor are sold throughout North America and exported overseas. The Hershey Trust -- which benefits the Milton Hershey School for disadvantaged children -- controls approximately 80% of Hershey's voting power.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending December, 2010:
Sales: $5,671.0M
One year growth: 7.0%
Net income: $509.8M
Income growth: 16.9%

Officers:
President, CEO and Director: John P. (J.P.) Bilbrey
SVP and CIO: George F. Davis
SVP Strategy and Business Development: Javier H. Idrovo

Competitors:
Kraft Foods
Mars, Incorporated
Nestlé

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