Hershey Canada Inc. has voluntarily recalled a wide range of chocolate products nationwide and closed its Smiths Falls plant after salmonella bacteria was detected in the candy produced there.
Chipits milk-chocolate chips, Hershey bars and Cherry Blossom chocolates are among items that could be tainted with the bacteria, Hershey and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said in separate press releases today. The products, which may have been distributed across Canada, were made at the company’s Smiths Falls, Ontario, plant Oct. 15 through Nov. 10.
No illnesses have been reported, Hershey said. The potential contamination is linked to a “minor” ingredient used in chocolate making, company spokeswoman Stephanie Moritz said in a telephone interview, declining to be more specific. Halloween and Christmas items aren’t affected by the recall.
Hershey Canada Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Hershey Company (New York Stock Exchange: HSY) that manufactures, distributes and sells confectionery, snack, refreshment and grocery products in Canada. Major brands include CHIPITS, EAT-MORE, GLOSETTE, HERSHEY’S, JOLLY RANCHER, OH HENRY!, REESE, and TWIZZLER.
The story of Hershey is a captivating tale, spanning nearly a century and a half of industrial and social change. It tells of how one determined pioneer from rural Pennsylvania built an international company, a town to go with it, and a chocolate and confectionery sensation.
In Canada, it all started in 1962. After years of studying the Canadian confectionery market, The Hershey Company constructed its first plant outside of Hershey, Pennsylvania – in Smiths Falls, Ontario. Smiths Falls was selected because of the plentiful supply of milk and water. Smiths Falls was chosen also because of its adequate labour source, its location on direct rail lines and suitable transportation facilities.