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Retail Evolution

UNWRAPPING A NEW IMMERSIVE, SENSORY EXPERIENCE IN TIMES SQUARE

Suzanne Jones
Vice President, The Hershey Experience

Attention chocolate lovers! Hershey is officially opening the doors to the ultimate chocolate playground in the heart of New York City. With a prime location at the crossroads of the world, the Hershey’s Chocolate World Times Square Attraction brings the sweetest place on earth to New York City through sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. From an authentic camper where people can enjoy made-to-order s’mores, to the warm-baked goods and Hershey-inspired treats at the Hershey’s Kitchens Bakery.

This momentous new store in Times Square blends the authenticity and heritage of the Hershey brand with the energy and excitement of the big city in a space that is three times bigger than our original location. Our goal is to always create new and exciting experiences by connecting fans to chocolate in an immersive, multi-sensorial way.

In addition to our larger footprint and in-store experiences, the new Hershey’s Chocolate World Attraction also features a state-of-the-art, 91-foot digital billboard that soars ten stories above the heart of Times Square, not to be missed by fans near or far.

We celebrated the grand opening of the sweetest New York City landmark with a Hershey’s Melted Hot Chocolate toast and an official “Plume” cutting, an oversized version of the beloved ribbon from a Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolate candy. It was a truly heartwarming experience to witness the number of Hershey fans who came out celebrate with us and receive a first-hand look at the in-store elements that make Hershey’s Chocolate World Times Square a truly one-of-a-kind attraction.

Sweet New Experiences

The integration of interactive experiences, blending old-school, analog dioramas and inventive digital technology, highlights our heritage and our innovation. The nimble retail space is also optimized so that our brands can take center stage when they launch new products and promotions. However, these new experiences are only the beginning, because this space will serve as our learning lab to test new ideas in the years to come.

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The HERSHEY'S S'Mores Experience, Hershey's largest permanent s'mores installation, is unveiled during the grand opening celebration of the HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE WORLD Times Square Attraction, Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017, in New York. Attendees enjoyed made-to-order HERSHEY'S Double Chocolate S'mores using custom graham crackers, double-decker marshmallows and an entire HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate bar. (Jason DeCrow/AP Images for The Hershey Company)

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HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE WORLD Times Square Attraction opens on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017, in New York. Nearly three times the size of its original location, the new store offers more ways to experience chocolate and the iconic Hershey brands than ever before, including HERSHEY'S S'mores Experience, HERSHEY'S KITCHENS Bakery, the Amazing Candy Machine and Sweet Personalization station. (Jason DeCrow/AP Images for The Hershey Company)

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Attendees mix and match their favorite Hershey products at the Amazing Candy Machine during the grand opening ceremony of the HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE WORLD Times Square Attraction on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017, in New York. Nearly three times the size of its original location, the new store offers more ways to experience chocolate and the iconic Hershey brands than ever before. (Jason DeCrow/AP Images for The Hershey Company)

A Storied History

Hershey has a legacy of creating one-of-a-kind experiences for people dating all the way back to the 1920’s. In 1973, the original Hershey’s Chocolate World opened in Hershey, PA.  As experiences, including manufacturing tours, rose in popularity, the opening of Hershey’s Chocolate World provided a first-hand opportunity for the masses to see how our chocolate was made. Hershey was the first food and confectionery company to create this type of destination, solidifying our spot in history as the leader in experiential marketing. Since then, we worked to evolve the Hershey’s Chocolate World experience, expanding around the world – from Times Square in 2002, to Dubai in 2010 to Las Vegas in 2014.

Our vision for the new Hershey’s Chocolate World in Times Square was to create a destination where people of all ages could interact with our iconic brands and immerse themselves in all things chocolate. That vision is now a reality and we are thrilled to share it with you.

For more information about Hershey’s Chocolate World Attraction and retail stores, visit our website at HersheysChocolateWorld.com or join the conversation on our Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages.