Why Do So Many Europeans Hate Hershey's Chocolate?

From perfectly shareable and endearingly named Hershey's Kisses to the iconic chocolate bars that have formed the melty hearts of millions of s'mores, Hershey's is one of the most recognizable chocolate brands in the United States. Americans consume millions of dollars of Hershey's products every year, and there's even a Hershey's theme park in Pennsylvania. However, Hershey's many chocolate products are not so beloved across the pond. 

In fact, it seems that Europeans love to hate Hershey's. By and large, the consensus among European (and generally non-American) Hershey's reviewers seems to be that it tastes more like sawdust than chocolate, or less generously, that it tastes like vomit. This might sound unnecessarily harsh, but there are some legitimate reasons that Hershey's bars may be an acquired taste. 

The exact recipe for Hershey's chocolate is a closely guarded trade secret, but strong evidence suggests that Hershey's chocolate contains butyric acid, a compound that is also found in, well, vomit. Before you get too grossed out, butyric acid is also found in parmesan cheese and many other things that many people find delicious. Butyric acid or not, mass-produced European chocolate is generally less acidic than Hershey's and other American chocolate brands due to differing production processes and regulations. As such, it's unsurprising that people who grew up chowing on European chocolate brands like Cadbury might find Hershey's a bit hard to swallow.

If Europeans truly find Hershey's so repugnant, how is it possible that Americans love it so much? Most likely, it comes down to what we're accustomed to. The taste-memory connection should not be underestimated — studies have shown that comfort food is more related to memory than actual flavor. Considering that chocolate is a highly emotional and nostalgic food, the sweet memories associated with your childhood favorite chocolate probably have a not insignificant impact on how you perceive its flavor. 

At the end of the day, myriad factors could impact the taste of European and American chocolate, from the type of milk used to the amount of cocoa, and it's impossible to objectively say which is better or worse. Many Europeans have made their opinions clear across the internet — but Americans have also expressed that European chocolate brands such as Cadbury taste a bit flat and bland. In other words, not acidic enough. If we can learn anything from all of this, it's that taste (and flavor, which is not the same) is highly complex and incredibly fascinating, and you should feel free to enjoy whatever chocolate you like with gusto.