The Hershey's Canned Treat Fans Wish Would Return

Some of us are old enough to remember when all sodas came in glass bottles, grocery stores had a community coupon bin, and Hershey's Syrup came in a can. We also might politely decline to disclose our real age. What matters is that once upon a time, Hershey's chocolate syrup was canned, and we remember those days fondly, along with the disappointment we felt when the company ditched the can for the "more convenient" plastic bottle. 

Fans of the canned stuff have taken to the internet since the can disappeared around 2017 to lament the food world's loss. Many Redditors seem to agree with one user, who commented, "Hershey's syrup in the can tasted better than in the plastic bottle." One disappointed Redditor laments no longer being able to make their grandmother's recipe for Hershey's Syrup brownies, which calls for a pound of canned Hershey's syrup (though some users on Facebook are willing to try the modern stuff). Another user added, "The canned version seemed a lot thicker than the bottled version. The bottled syrup seems a lot sweeter, but that could be me." Other users on the thread say the same thing. 

There could be something to that. A vintage can from the '60s lists sugar, water, and cocoa first, while modern bottles start with high-fructose and/or regular corn syrup, and a change like that could feasibly affect the flavor and (more likely) texture. The corn syrup and bottle debut did coincide, roughly, and while there's no evidence they happened at the same time, consumers who hadn't seen the can in a while might notice that difference.

Hershey's started selling its chocolate syrup back in 1926. At first, it was only available for commercial use, but it hit store shelves (in a can) in 1928. Anecdotal manufacturing numbers from a former plant manager put the number of cans made at 70 million per year by 1956, suggesting it became a household favorite across the country (via Hershey's Community Archives). It was used for things like chocolate milk, milkshakes, and sundaes, and it even made a pretty decent hot chocolate on a cold day, though the syrup isn't quite the same as chocolate sauce or bar chocolate. Back then, you needed a church-key can opener to get into it. It was a two-sided can opener with a sharp end you pressed into the lid to create a triangle-shaped hole for pouring out the syrup and a smaller hole at the other end for airflow. The can came with a plastic lid to cover it until the next time. 

Hershey's started producing its syrup in plastic bottles in 1979. Anecdotal reports online suggest people were also finding canned syrup in stores well into the 2000s, though several people claim Hershey's stopped selling it altogether by 2017. These days, all you have to do is remove the cap and pull off the plastic seal — no special tools needed. Whether it's the old-school way we used to get at the syrup inside or another reason, die-hard fans miss the canned version.

That's partially because nostalgia is powerful stuff. Fast food restaurants have incredible success by digging into the past for menu gold, and for good reason. People love things that remind them of their childhood, especially when it comes to food.