HERSHEY, Pa. – January 14, 2008 – Allchocolate.com, the World Wide Web’s ultimate resource for all things chocolate, will make The Sweetest Place on Earth®, Hershey, Pa., a little sweeter next month as a proud partner of the fourth annual Chocolate-Covered February. Allchocolate.com will sponsor sweet-tooth satisfying events during the month-long chocolate celebration by indulging guests in hands-on, chocolate-inspired demonstrations hosted by award-winning chocolatiers. Award-winning Master Chocolatier Joseph Schmidt, founder of Joseph Schmidt™ Confections, and acclaimed Chocolate Maker John Scharffenberger, co-founder of Scharffen Berger™ Chocolate Maker, will join Allchocolate.com to bring chocolate to life through engaging guests in the art of chocolate tastings, chocolate-as-art sculpting demonstrations and a decadent and delicious pastry design class.

Schmidt is world-renowned for his dome-shaped truffles, while Scharffenberger’s artisan dark chocolates consistently garner rave reviews, including a recent appearance on The Today Show. Both chocolate masters will tantalize taste buds during their first appearances at Chocolate-Covered February. The events will take place February 8-9 and 15-16 at The Hotel Hershey, Hershey Lodge and Hershey’s Chocolate World® Attraction.

Indulge in chocolate and learn from the masters during the following Allchocolate.com Chocolate-Covered February events:

• Allchocolate.com Artisan Chocolate Tasting
  6:30 p.m., February 8: The Hotel Hershey
  1 p.m., February 9: Hershey Lodge
  John Scharffenberger, co-founder of Scharffen Berger™ Chocolate Maker, to host a delicious and skillful tasting of four of Scharffen Berger’s artisan dark chocolates presented by Allchocolate.com. Learn how to taste premium chocolates, explore the flavor nuances of chocolate and receive tips on how to host your own at-home tasting from the award-winning chocolate maker himself. John Scharffenberger will sign copies of his award-winning cookbook, The Essence of Chocolate, following the event.
  
  
• Chocolate & Scotch Pairing Presented by Allchocolate.com
  4:30 p.m., February 9: Hershey Lodge
  Join expert Chocolate Maker John Scharffenberger and Hershey Lodge beverage manager Karl McCall for a tasting event presented by Allchocolate.com designed to tantalize the taste buds and lift your “spirit.” Discover how the complex flavor profiles of dark chocolate and scotch combine to create an exciting new flavor experience as Scharffenberger and McCall guide guests through four premium chocolate and scotch pairings.
  
  
• Allchocolate.com Dessert Decorating Class
  5:00 p.m., February 15: The Hotel Hershey
  Enhance your pastry art skills during Master Chocolatier Joseph Schmidt’s indulgent dessert decorating class presented by Allchocolate.com. Schmidt, founder of Joseph Schmidt Confections, will teach guests how to create a chocolate bowl and garnish a dessert plate, while providing tips and advice for mastering the art of chocolate embellishment. Following the event, each guest will receive a Joseph Schmidt Confections gift box and have the opportunity to meet the Master Chocolatier.
  
  
• Chocolate Masterpieces Presented by Allchocolate.com
  11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., February 16: Hershey’s Chocolate World Attraction
  Join Master Chocolatier Joseph Schmidt as he skillfully turns chocolate into art during the Allchocolate.com Chocolate Masterpieces demonstration. Known as the “Rodin of Chocolate,” Schmidt will sculpt chocolate into a gorgeous flower display. Lucky attendees will have the opportunity to assist the chocolatier on stage as he creates a feast for the eyes.
  
  

Allchocolate.com is sponsored by The Hershey Company, the largest North American manufacturer of quality chocolate and sugar confectionery products, and features pages of information on the history, passion, health and uses of chocolate. Allchocolate.com invites consumers, aficionados and industry experts to explore the world of chocolate. The site is one of the most comprehensive chocolate resources on the Internet and is updated regularly to provide unprecedented access to top chocolate research and information from the industry’s foremost experts.

To learn more about Chocolate-Covered February or indulge in all things chocolate, visit the site at www.allchocolate.com

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) is the largest North American manufacturer of quality chocolate and sugar confectionery products. With revenues of nearly $5 billion and more than 13,000 employees worldwide, The Hershey Company markets such iconic brands as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, and Ice Breakers. Hershey is the leader in the fast-growing dark and premium chocolate segment, with such brands as Hershey’s Special Dark, Hershey’s Extra Dark and Cacao Reserve by Hershey’s. Hershey’s Ice Breakers franchise delivers refreshment across a variety of mint and gum flavors and formats. In addition, Hershey leverages its iconic brands, marketplace scale and confectionery and nut expertise to develop and deliver substantial snacks, including Hershey’s and Reese’s single-serve cookies and brownies, and value-added snack nuts, including Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Covered Almonds and Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds. Hershey also offers a range of products to address the health and well-being needs of today's consumer. Hershey’s and Reese’s Snacksters offer consumers great-tasting snacks in portion-controlled servings, while Hershey’s dark chocolate offerings provide the benefits of flavanol antioxidants. In addition, Artisan Confections Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Hershey Company, markets such premium chocolate offerings as Scharffen Berger, known for its high-cacao dark chocolate products, Joseph Schmidt, recognized for its fine, handcrafted chocolate gifts, and Dagoba, known for its high-quality natural and organic chocolate bars. Visit us at www.hersheynewsroom.com.

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