Governor Shapiro Joins the Hershey Company to Open New Reese Chocolate Processing Facility After His Administration Helped Streamline Permitting Process to Move at the Speed of Business

Doubling down on their commitment to the Commonwealth, Hershey’s new state-of-the-art facility — located in the sweetest place on Earth — is part of a broader $1 billion expansion plan by the iconic Pennsylvania chocolate manufacturer.

The Shapiro Administration’s commitment to cutting red tape, expediting permitting, and making Pennsylvania more competitive is instrumental in driving forward projects like Hershey’s first new-build manufacturing plant at its headquarters in over 30 years.

Thanks to streamlined coordination and strategic permitting support, the Reese Chocolate Processing plant opened in less than two and half years — creating more than 125 jobs and strengthening Pennsylvania’s leadership in advanced manufacturing.

Hershey, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro joined Michele Buck, President and CEO of The Hershey Company, along with elected leaders, to open the new state-of-the-art Reese Chocolate Processing (RCP) facility — Hershey’s first fully-integrated digital manufacturing plant and the first new manufacturing facility built at its headquarters in Dauphin County in over three decades. The Governor highlighted how this expansion, supported by his Administration’s permitting reforms and economic development strategy, is a major win for Pennsylvania’s workforce, communities, and economy.

“From day one, my Administration has been laser-focused on getting stuff done for Pennsylvanians — building an economy that works for everyone, supporting job growth, and making it easier to do business here,” said Governor Shapiro. “The new Reese plant is a shining example of what’s possible when government moves at the speed of business. Hershey is an iconic Pennsylvania company, and they chose to expand their footprint right here at home – in the sweetest place on Earth. By working together, we are building a business-friendly climate that makes it easier for Pennsylvania-made brands and business to expand, grow, and thrive in our Commonwealth. Hershey’s continued investment in Central Pennsylvania shows the world that the Commonwealth is open for business and ready to lead.”

The ribbon cutting underscores the Shapiro Administration’s ongoing efforts to drive economic growth, cut through red tape, and position Pennsylvania as a top destination for investment and innovation. The new 250,000-square-foot chocolate processing facility sits on a 55-acre site — large enough to hold five NFL football fields — between the Hershey Technical Center and the existing Reese’s plant, located at 1000 Reese Avenue. It will produce the chocolate used in a variety of beloved brands including Reese’s, KitKat, Symphony, and Special Dark.

The facility is part of Hershey’s broader $1 billion investment strategy, which includes the addition of 13 new production lines and upgrades to 11 existing lines across North American facilities. It will support more than 125 new jobs and build on Hershey’s long-standing legacy as a major employer in Pennsylvania, where the company already supports over 6,000 jobs.

“Our ability to make and deliver products both quickly and efficiently is a key component of our growth strategy,” said Will Bonifant, Hershey’s Vice President of Supply Chain Strategy and Manufacturing. “We’ve made significant investments to speed production, increase capacity and develop our workforce for the future to make more of the iconic brands consumers love.”

Governor Shapiro is delivering real results for Pennsylvania’s workers, businesses, and families. His Administration is strengthening the Commonwealth’s position in the global economy by supporting five key industries outlined in the Governor’s 10-year Economic Development Strategy: agriculture, energy, life sciences, robotics and technology, and manufacturing — the industry at the heart of today’s event. By investing in these strategic sectors and prioritizing infrastructure, innovation, and workforce development, the Shapiro Administration is creating new economic opportunities and positioning Pennsylvania as a national leader in job creation and growth.

Since taking office, the Shapiro Administration has secured over $3.7 billion in private sector investments and created more than 5,000 new jobs across the Commonwealth — including through high-impact manufacturing projects like the Reese plant. In addition, each year, Hershey uses 400 million pounds of milk produced by Pennsylvania dairy farmers — supporting not just jobs in manufacturing but also creating a critical market for Pennsylvania’s agriculture sector.

The Shapiro Administration also played a critical role in the project’s success by helping Hershey secure key permits — including the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit — enabling the timely construction and operation of the plant. Since the Governor took office, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has improved review timeframes for this permit type by 15 percent, cutting the average approval process by eight days.

The opening of the RCP facility marks the latest milestone in the Commonwealth’s long-standing partnership with The Hershey Company. Since 2012, state-supported projects in Lebanon and Dauphin counties have retained thousands of jobs and delivered more than $400 million in capital investment. Founded in 1894 by Milton S. Hershey, the company pivoted from caramel to chocolate after his experience with the Lancaster Caramel Company. That shift led to the construction of a large-scale chocolate factory in Derry Township in the early 1900s. Today, Hershey’s portfolio includes more than 100 global brands, with an expanded footprint into savory snacks. Products are sold in approximately 80 countries worldwide — with the U.S. accounting for the majority of the company’s $11.2 billion in 2023 revenue.

The RCP plant underscores the impact of Governor Shapiro’s broader economic development and permitting reform efforts. Since taking office, his Administration has taken bold steps to strengthen the economy, attract new investment, and implement commonsense policies that are already delivering results for Pennsylvania, including:

• Securing $500 million in site development funding to attract businesses, create jobs, and drive long-term economic growth.
• Investing $20 million for Main Street Matters to revitalize downtown areas, help businesses grow, and improve community infrastructure, with 81 revitalization projects already underway.
• Increasing the Net Operating Loss (NOL) Deduction Limit, allowing businesses to reduce taxable income by up to 80 percent by 2029 — keeping Pennsylvania competitive with other states. In this year’s budget proposal, the Governor proposed accelerating Corporate Net Income Tax (CNIT) cuts by two years, reducing the tax rate by 0.75 percent annually and lowering it to 4.99 percent by 2029.
• Establishing the Office of Transformation & Opportunity (OTO) and charging the office with improving the Commonwealth’s permitting, licensing, and certification (PLC) processes.
• Creating the first-ever catalogue of more than 2,400 PLCs issued by the state, allowing the Shapiro Administration to identify and resolve bottlenecks in order to give Pennsylvanians more certainty and deliver answers more efficiently.
• Launching PAyback.pa.gov, the first-in-the-nation online money-back guarantee permit system to increase accountability and transparency.
• Signing Executive Order 2024-04 establishing the PA Permit Fast Track Program, to accelerate permitting for major economic development and infrastructure projects — part of the Governor’s broader strategy to streamline government operations and drive economic growth across the Commonwealth.
• Securing $16.9 million across two budgets, modernizing DEP’s permitting process and reducing the permit backlog by nearly 90 percent overall.
• Cutting business filing wait times from eight weeks to just two days, as well as cutting the time it takes to process hundreds of other permits.

Governor Shapiro’s proposed 2025-26 budget further focuses on implementing Pennsylvania’s 10-year Economic Development Strategy to make the Commonwealth a leader in job creation, innovation, and economic development, including:

• $12.5 million dedicated to WEDnetPA to expand our workforce and close critical workforce gaps
• $50 million to strengthen the innovation ecosystem and spur life science job growth
• $10 million for AdvancePA tax credits to create high quality jobs across PA
• $50 million investment in Housing Stock Restoration
• $10 million increase for the Act 47 Distressed Municipalities Program to support communities in financial recovery

Read more about Governor Shapiro’s economic development strategy and budget at Governor Shapiro’s Budget website.

For more information about the Department of Community and Economic Development, visit DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Governor’s Press Office, ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov

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