America's 10 Favorite Chocolate Candies

Chocolate Fest 2012 may be five months away, but one of the biggest "chocolate" holidays just passed. In honor of all the chocolate bunnies and candy bars you may or may not have still lying around the house, here is a list of America's 10 Favorite Chocolate Candies (from an article published by CNBC in June 2011).

Did you know America spends more than $7 Billion dollars on individual-sized chocolate candy bars, bags, and boxes in one year? Here is where most of that money goes!

10. Almond Joy - Revenue Generated: $60.8 million
The Almond Joy bar was created in 1946 by Peter Paul Candy Manufacturing. It’s made of sweetened coconut, topped with two almonds and covered in dark chocolate.




9. Milky Way - Revenue Generated: $70.2 million
Created in 1923, the Milky Way was named after the popular malted milk shake, not the Milky Way galaxy. It is made of chocolate malt-flavored nougat and caramel-covered milk chocolate. At the time the time of its creation, it sold for just a nickel.



8. Hershey's Cookies N Cream - Revenue Generated: $80.4 million
This is the newest candy on the countdown. Hershey’s Cookies 'N' Cream first hit the candy stands in 1994. It’s made of white chocolate and promises cookies in every bite.




7. 3 Musketeers - Revenue Generated: $100.7 million
When it was first introduced in 1932, 3 Musketeers was three pieces and three flavors: vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. The candy bar is now a single piece made of fluffy chocolate-flavored nougat covered with milk chocolate.




6. Twix - Revenue Generated: $169.9 million
This crunchy cookie, caramel and chocolate bar is a relatively new to the American marketplace. It was introduced in the U.S. in 1979.





5. Kit Kat - Revenue Generated: $201.8 million
This chocolate bar was originally a British creation and called the Chocolate Crisp. It was later renamed Kit Kat, allegedly after the Kit Kat club, an 18th century Whig literacy club in England. The Kit Kat is now owned by Nestle, but has been manufactured in the U.S. by Hershey since 1969.



4. Hershey's - Revenue Generated: $249 million
This is the oldest chocolate bar in the countdown. Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar was developed in 1900 by Milton S. Hershey and he charged just a nickel for his candy bar. These days, Hershey makes more than 373 million of its signature candy bar every year.



3. Snickers - Revenue Generated: $386.2 million
Introduced in 1930, the bar was named after one of the Mars family’s favorite horses. More than 99 tons of peanuts go into making over 15 million Snickers bars each day, and each bar contains around 16 peanuts.




2. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - Revenue Generated: $398.9 million
The inventor of these tasty treats, Harry Burnett Reese, was a former dairy employee of Milton S. Hershey who decided to strike out on his own and make a living in the candy business. Reese began selling his peanut butter cups in five-pound boxes for candy assortments in the 1920s, and the candy soon surged in popularity. In 1963, things came full circle when Hershey bought the company for $23.5 million. Several decades later, the candy is still a hit. The company claims if you were to line up the Reese’s sold annually, it would wrap around the earth several times.

1. M&Ms - Revenue Generated: $406.7 million
The best-selling chocolate treat on the countdown has been around since 1941. It was designed by Forrest Mars Sr. so consumers could enjoy their chocolate without having it melt in their hands. M&Ms, which was named after its inventors Forrest Mars and R. Bruce Murrie. M&Ms are red, yellow, blue, orange and green, but it's red that gets top billing — it has been the official "spokescandy" since 1952. There are now eight permanent varieties of M&Ms candies, as well as seasonal offerings.

There you have it - the countdown to America's favorite chocolate candy. The countdown to Chocolate Fest 2012 still rages on! Don't forget to come to the Harrison Center for the Arts on Saturday October 20th from Noon-4pm!

Intern Angelina