First published 2000
Joël Glenn Brenner becomes the first outsider to penetrate the fortress-like secrecy surrounding two chocolate empires: Hershey and Mars. Milton Hershey and Forrest Mars transformed chocolate from a luxury item into a global obsession, building corporate dynasties that guard their secrets as closely as state intelligence. Brenner navigates boardrooms, factory floors, and executive suites to expose the fierce rivalry between these candy titans. She uncovers the personalities, strategies, and bitter competitions that shaped an industry built on one of humanity's most coveted substances. The companies that created household names like Snickers, M&Ms, and Hershey's Kisses operate with a level of secrecy that rivals intelligence agencies. Brenner reveals the colorful characters and corporate machinations behind brands that occupy every checkout counter in America. Her investigation exposes a business world as fantastical and competitive as any fictional candy kingdom, where fortunes rise and fall over recipe formulations and market positioning.
Genres: history, 20th-century, business, non-fiction, 21st-century, true-crime
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: corporate-espionage, investigative-reporter
Setting: America
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
367 pages · Paperback · Broadway Books