An American chocolate businessman and another man have been charged with the murder of a CGI film pioneer and his partner.
Jonathan Lehrer, 57, the owner and operator of chocolate maker estate Bois Collette Inc., and Robert Snider, the alleged &#8220;hitman,&#8221; were charged with murder on Wednesday, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/12/06/news/chocolatier-to-be-charged-in-killing-of-3d-film-pioneer/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The charges come after the bodies of Daniel Langlois, 66, and his wife Dominique Marchand, were found in a burned-out car around 7 a.m. local time on Friday on the island of Dominica in the Caribbean.
Langlois and Marchand were believed to have been shot before their car veered off the road and into a ravine, where it caught fire, <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/12/05/daniel-langlois-oscar-winning-animator-found-dead/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the Telegraph</a>.
Langlois founded Softimage Creative Environments in the 1980s, an animation studio that produced CGI elements seen in the original “Jurassic Park,” &#8220;Men in Black,&#8221; and &#8220;Star Wars.&#8221; Langlois sold the company to Microsoft in 1994 for $200 million, the Telegraph reported.
Langlois and Marchand moved to Dominica in 1997 and spent 20 years building a 285-acre off-grid luxury resort called Coulibri Ridge Eco Resort, which opened last year. That resort neighbored Lehrer’s chocolate business, and the two had a years-long dispute over the use of a public road that ran through Lehrer’s property, Dominica News Online <a href="https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/death/owner-of-bois-cotlette-and-accomplice-charged-with-murder-of-coulibri-ridge-owner-and-his-wife/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The dispute reportedly started when Lehrer placed boulders, dug a trench, and placed equipment to block Langlois’ access to his own property. Langlois sued, claiming damages, loss, and tortious interference with his economic interests. Langlois sought an injunction barring Lehrer and his company from blocking Langlois’ access to the road. An interim injunction was issued on October 30, 2018. Court proceedings continued into 2019.
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While Lehrer, his wife, Robert Snider, and a fourth person were all detained following the discovery of Langlois and Marchand’s bodies, only Lehrer and Snider have been charged. The Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12832505/US-chocolate-maker-wife-arrested-Dominica-millionaire-Oscar-winning-3D-animator-partner-ambushed-hitman-bodies-burned-car-amid-row-access-road.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Snider is the alleged “hitman” hired to kill the couple.
Lehrer’s father, Robert, defended his son against the accusations in <a href="https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2023/12/05/couple-dentrepreneurs-tues-aux-caraibes--jonathan-nest-pas-un-meurtrier-dit-son-pere" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a statement</a> to the Journal de Montreal.
“Jonathan is a successful businessman, not a murderer,” Robert told the outlet. “We are very close and he is not a violent man at all. I have a hard time believing it…”
“He was fed up with illegal crossings on his route and it bothered him a lot, but it had been a while since I had any news,” Robert added.
Just one month before his murder, Langlois received the Meritorious Service Award from Dominica’s local government for his contribution to sustainable development, Radio Canada <a href="https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/2031957/daniel-langlois-dominque-marchand-deces" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.

Chocolate

Chocolatier Charged In Murder Of CGI Film Pioneer, Partner On Caribbean Island

chocolate

Crime

Murder

World

The director for the upcoming “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Wonka</a>” movie described the sheer amount of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chocolate">chocolate</a> the cast ate during filming, joking that he couldn’t understand how lead actor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celebrities">Timothée Chalamet</a> didn’t gain weight.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve [gained] about 50 pounds, but I hope I can lose it before [the movie] comes out,&#8221; the film’s director and co-writer Paul King told <a href="https://people.com/wonka-director-jokes-about-chocolate-consumed-on-set-timothee-chalamet-exclusive-7561451">People</a> during a recent interview. 
&#8220;It&#8217;s a miracle that Timmy remains so slim and handsome,&#8221; King joked about the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood">film’s star</a>. &#8220;I&#8217;m trying to fatten him up, but it&#8217;s hard to do.&#8221;
The musical fantasy film “Wonka” is a prequel to the 1971 classic “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” which starred Gene Wilder. The Warner Bros. production will follow Chalamet in the titular role as he begins his career as a chocolatier. It is currently scheduled for a December 2023 release date.
When asked just how much chocolate the cast and crew ate on set, King said it was a &#8220;great deal, which was a wonderful thing&#8221; and helped establish the idea that his &#8220;life had taken a wonderful turn.&#8221;
&#8220;We had this incredible chocolatier,&#8221; the director told People. &#8220;She made these incredible concoctions, and we would taste them. They tasted much better than they needed to, because obviously actors are good at pretending things, but the miracle was they tasted every bit as good as they looked.&#8221;
He went on to describe one scene involving Chalamet’s Wonka and his friend Noodle (Calah Lane) being submerged into a literal vat of chocolate.
&#8220;We actually made an enormous vat of hot chocolate — not scalding, just warm hot chocolate for them to immerse themselves in,&#8221; King said. &#8220;So there was a lot of chocolate around.&#8221;
Last week, the director praised Chalamet’s performance in “Wonka” and said fans would be impressed with the range of his skills. 
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&#8220;I think what&#8217;s so remarkable about his performance is not only that he is funny and mischievous and quite mysterious, as well — just like the Willy Wonka that people will know — but also, he brings such heart to the role and he&#8217;s a brilliant actor,&#8221; the director said. &#8220;He&#8217;s incredibly emotionally intelligent and can bring a great deal of emotional truth to the role.&#8221;
He said viewers will see how the actor &#8220;can also sing and dance brilliantly.&#8221; 
&#8220;It&#8217;s really a tour de force for him there,&#8221; King said. “He was rehearsing for months before we went to kind of that honing skills, which was a pleasure to watch.

Wonka Filmset in Bath

‘Wonka’ Director Describes Volume Of Chocolate Eaten During Filming: ‘A Miracle That Timmy Remains So Slim’

Celebrities

U.S.

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/national-transportation-safety-board" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Transportation Safety Board</a> has opened an investigation into the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pennsylvania-officials-give-conflicting-updates-on-chocolate-factory-explosion-that-left-at-least-two-dead" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explosion last week</a> at a Pennsylvania chocolate factory that left several people dead.
The explosion, which occurred on March 24 at the R.M. Palmer Company chocolate factory in West Reading, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pennsylvania" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pennsylvania</a>, led to the deaths of seven individuals and the hospitalization of 10 others.
Keith Holloway, a spokesman for the NTSB, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-chocolate-factory-explosion-cc56391fbd868008de9abf103d8c50ca" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Associated Press that the agency is looking at “what caused, how and why the explosion occurred.” Government officials believe a natural gas pipeline nearby is linked to the explosion.
UGI Utilities, a gas and electric provider, is <a href="https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/berks/ugi-issues-statement-on-explosion-at-rm-palmer/article_b4a00572-cd8f-11ed-82b9-bf0ad5164680.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">working</a> with the state and federal authorities in their probe. 
“UGI expresses its heartfelt condolences to the victims and all those impacted by the tragic event at R.M. Palmer Company in West Reading on March 24, 2023. As a public utility, UGI is committed to the well-being of Berks County and all the communities we serve,” the company said in a statement Tuesday. 
“UGI Utilities knows that it is the Company’s responsibility to safely and reliably serve our customers. We take our responsibility seriously, and we are working with local authorities and state and federal agencies to determine the cause of the incident on March 24, 2023,” the statement continued. 
The company also announced it would donate $100,000 to the West Reading Disaster Recovery Fund. 
Two victims have been named while the Berks County coroner’s office <a href="https://www.wgal.com/article/pennsylvania-west-reading-factory-explosion-disaster-declaration/43437404" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continues</a> identifying the others killed in the blast. Amy Sandoe, 49, and Domingo Cruz, 60, died during Friday’s explosion. 
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“The seven who we lost will always be in our prayers, and to those who were injured we wish a speedy recovery. Over the many years that we have worked together many became personal friends and all valued members of the Palmer team. Their loss will be felt forever,” the owners of the chocolate factory <a href="https://www.readingeagle.com/2023/03/29/west-reading-chocolate-factory-explosion-company-owners-issue-statement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. 
As a result of the explosion, the area around the factory will be closed to the public while police investigate and public safety officials evaluate the damage. 
“It will involve the removal of debris, clearing the area and making sure that buildings are safe to occupy,&#8221; Police Chief Wayne Holben said. &#8220;We are closely working with emergency response teams, environmental experts, and construction professionals to ensure that the cleanup is done safely, efficiently, and with minimal impact on the surrounding community.&#8221;

Photo by Tim Leedy 12/14/07R.M. Palmer Company in West Reading.

Feds Open Investigation Into Chocolate Factory Explosion That Left 7 Dead

Disasters

Explosion

National transportation Safety Board

Pennsylvania

In just the first day since announcing the release of &#8220;<a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/collections/jeremys-chocolate/products/jeremys-traditional-bundle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy&#8217;s Chocolate</a>,&#8221; The Daily Wire has already sold more than 100,000 of the non-woke chocolate bars.
After chocolate giant Hershey&#8217;s announced its &#8220;Her SHE&#8221; Women&#8217;s History Month marketing campaign, then promptly insulted women everywhere with an ad featuring a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/boycott-hersheys-trends-on-twitter-as-brand-features-man-who-identifies-as-trans-in-international-womens-day-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biological man</a> as the face of the campaign, Daily Wire co-CEO and god-king Jeremy Boreing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nuts-or-nutless-the-daily-wire-launches-jeremys-chocolates-after-hersheys-trans-farce-insults-customers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that he would be rolling out his own line of chocolate bars.
“Fine, I’ll do it,&#8221; Boreing tweeted. &#8220;Introducing Jeremy’s Chocolate. Yes, it’s real. We have two kinds: HeHim and SheHer. One of them has nuts. If you need me to tell you which one, keep buying Hershey’s. But if you know what a woman is and love chocolate, go to: <a href="http://www.ihatehersheys.com">ihatehersheys.com</a>.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Fine. I’ll do it.
Introducing Jeremy’s Chocolate.
Yes, it’s real.
We have two kinds: HeHim and SheHer.
One of them has nuts. If you need me to tell you which one, keep buying Hersheys.
But if you know what a woman is and love chocolate, go to:<a href="https://t.co/QVnCwoBu17">https://t.co/QVnCwoBu17</a> <a href="https://t.co/o5P6Vqj01l">https://t.co/o5P6Vqj01l</a>
— Jeremy Boreing (@JeremyDBoreing) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyDBoreing/status/1631649814118055936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
The Daily Wire announced that just after 7:30 p.m. CT — roughly 12 hours after announcing the launch of Jeremy’s Chocolate — the company had already sold over 100,000 chocolate bars.
“The people asked and we answered,” Boreing said. “Thanks to Jeremy’s Chocolate, you can stop eating chocolate that hates you. Harry’s Razors hates you; Disney hates you; and now Hershey’s hates you. As long as corporations and institutions across America continue to alienate half the country, The Daily Wire will continue building alternatives. Stop giving your money to woke chocolate companies that hate you.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Twelve hours, 100,000 bars of chocolate.
⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a>⁩ is breaking the cycle of lose, bitch, and boycott and is instead creating actual alternatives.
Thank you for building the future with us. <a href="https://t.co/QVnCwoBu17">https://t.co/QVnCwoBu17</a> <a href="https://t.co/F22ZSrBucG">pic.twitter.com/F22ZSrBucG</a>
— Jeremy Boreing (@JeremyDBoreing) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyDBoreing/status/1631833738878279681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
The Daily Wire also published an ad for Jeremy&#8217;s Chocolate featuring Boreing and Daily Wire hosts Brett Cooper and Michael Knowles. Several Twitter users were astonished at the speed with which The Daily Wire was able to launch Jeremy&#8217;s Chocolate.
&#8220;That was fast,&#8221; journalist and podcaster <a href="https://twitter.com/Timcast/status/1631713587948408835" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tim Pool</a> tweeted.
📱<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/reygotsumcents/status/1631715492590411777?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One user</a> imagined a conversation between Boreing and a company investor:
<blockquote>Investor: &#8220;How fast-&#8220;
Jeremy: &#8220;Yes&#8221;
Investor: &#8220;-can you deploy?&#8221;</blockquote>
&#8220;22 hours ago the Hershey Chocolate company used a trans person in an ad&#8230; less than a day later the Daily Wire launched their own chocolate company,&#8221; radio host <a href="https://twitter.com/KennethRWebster/status/1631715109507670016" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kenny Webster</a> wondered. &#8220;Did&#8230; did they know ahead of time about the ad?&#8221;
But Boreing confirmed that he worked through the night Thursday to get the product off the ground. &#8220;We did not know,&#8221; he <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyDBoreing/status/1631710327921418240" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a>. &#8220;We just stayed up all night for the love of the game. And the country. And chocolate. <a class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1cvl2hr r-1loqt21 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" role="link" href="https://t.co/QVnCwoBu17" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ihatehersheys.com</a>.&#8221;
Another tweet from a Daily Wire producer, retweeted by Boreing, confirmed what he said. &#8220;Not only fast we were rewarded with mad scientists bbq for an 8 hr turn around on the production of the ad!&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/StickDelScorcho/status/1631714249264226306?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin Burnes</a> tweeted.
You can watch the ad here:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ww5Lf97hXQM" width="720" height="385" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen">﻿</iframe>
The Daily Wire has built a reputation for big responses to woke corporations and institutions. In January 2021, the company signed Gina Carano to produce and star in “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/terror-on-the-prairie">Terror on the Prairie</a>” after she was Cancelled by Disney.
In March 2022, the company <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s92UMJNjPIA&amp;t=109s">launched Jeremy’s Razors</a> — which sold 100,000 subscriptions in its first year — after Harry’s Razors pulled its ads from The Daily Wire, citing “values misalignment.” And, in the same month, The Daily Wire announced a $100 million investment into kids’ entertainment after leaked videos from inside Disney revealed a producer bragging about their “not-so-secret” gay agenda.

Jeremy’s Chocolate

‘Jeremy’s Chocolate’ Sells More Than 100,000 Chocolate Bars In First 12 Hours

'Jeremy's Chocolate' Sells More Than 100,000 Chocolate Bars In First 12 Hours

Daily Wire

Jeremy Boreing

Woke Culture

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chocolate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hershey</a> Company is celebrating women by promoting a biological man.
The hashtag “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/boycott" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BoycottHersheys</a>” was trending on Twitter Thursday after the chocolate manufacturer included a man who identifies as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/transgender" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transgender</a> as part of its International Women&#8217;s Day promotion.
Fae Johnstone is one of five people featured in the campaign, which uses the Hershey’s SHE bar to &#8220;shine a light on the women and girls who inspire us every day.&#8221;
“The chocolate&#8217;s out of the wrapper! Honoured to be featured in this campaign by [Hershey&#8217;s] Canada for #InternationalWomensDay alongside 4 brilliant sisters and change-makers,” Johnstone posted alongside the video promo on Twitter.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The chocolate&#39;s out of the wrapper! 
Honoured to be featured in this campaign by <a href="https://twitter.com/Hersheys?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Hersheys</a> Canada for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InternationalWomensDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InternationalWomensDay</a> alongside 4 brilliant sisters and change-makers. <a href="https://t.co/0s9uh8MvHv">https://t.co/0s9uh8MvHv</a> <a href="https://t.co/jdXNJfcZmo">pic.twitter.com/jdXNJfcZmo</a>
&mdash; Fae Johnstone, MSW (@FaeJohnstone) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaeJohnstone/status/1630960853192445952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“We still have a long way to go in the fight to end misogyny, patriarchy and gender-based violence,” the LGBTQ activist shared in a follow-up. “I hope this campaign helps give more young women and girls role models and possibility models. And shows them how we can change the world, together.&#8221;
“We can create a world where everyone is able to live in public space as their honest and authentic selves,&#8221; Johnstone says in the clip.
Calls for boycotts came from conservatives and feminists who objected to a biological man being used for the International Women&#8217;s Day campaign.
“You get the feeling that these companies *always* despised women &#8212; they were just waiting for the right moment to stick it to us,” author Abigail Shrier <a href="https://twitter.com/AbigailShrier/status/1631154196232957952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1631154196232957952%7Ctwgr%5E8d0d12dc42506966033db9a0c5d08b2392e54604%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fhersheys-under-fire-for-using-trans-woman-in-international-womens-day-promo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a>. “Here&#8217;s the thing about real women, [Hershey&#8217;s]: We have long memories.”
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“There are 3.9 billion females out there and Hersheys decided to pick a misogynist dude for International Women’s Day,” another person <a href="https://twitter.com/RealLiErn/status/1631240351439818752" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a>.
This is the third year the international chocolate company has run the same female-focused campaign. In a <a href="https://www.thehersheycompany.com/content/hershey-corporate/en-us/home/newsroom/press-release/press-release-detail.html?122722" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>, Hershey’s shared more details.
“We are excited to reintroduce the Hershey&#8217;s SHE bars in new, meaningful ways as part of Hershey&#8217;s larger commitment to supporting women and girls this Women&#8217;s History Month and every month,” brand manager Katie DeCapria said of the program re-launch.
“This bar, with 200+ thoughtful adjectives created with our partners Girls on the Run, reminds us to take a moment to honor the women and girls who inspire us every day. We hope to spark meaningful, heartwarming connections through the simple gesture of giving a SHE bar to someone who has played an important role in your life.”

Citing Rising Cost Of Ingredients, Hershey’s Raises Prices 8 Percent

‘Boycott Hersheys’ Trends On Twitter As Brand Features Man Who Identifies As Trans In International Women’s Day Campaign

'Boycott Hersheys' Trends On Twitter As Brand Features Man Who Identifies As Trans In International Women's Day Campaign

boycott

Social Issues

Transgender

Women

A new report indicates that dark chocolate, often touted as a healthy food to add to your diet, may in fact contain elements dangerous to your health.
Consumer Reports <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11543225/Dark-dark-chocolate-Toxic-metals-bar-tested-researchers-new-report.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">examined 28 different dark chocolate bars</a> sold to consumers and found that every single one of them contained amounts of cadmium and lead. Children ingesting lead can suffer brain and nervous system damage as well as slower growth and development in addition to hearing and speech problems. Low levels of cadmium have been linked to kidney cancer and fragile bones.
“For 23 of the bars, eating just an ounce a day would put an adult over a level that public health authorities and CR’s experts say may be harmful for at least one of those heavy metals,” Consumer Reports <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/lead-and-cadmium-in-dark-chocolate-a8480295550/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>. “Five of the bars were above those levels for both cadmium and lead.”
“To determine the risk posed by the chocolates in CR’s test, we used California&#8217;s maximum allowable dose level (MADL) for lead (0.5 micrograms) and cadmium (4.1mcg),” Consumer Reports acknowledged.
“There are risks for people of any age,” Tunde Akinleye, the food safety researcher who led the Consumer Reports project, stated.
Among the 28 bars studied, Mast, Taza, and Valrhona each produced one bar with relatively low levels of both lead and cadmium; Ghirardelli produced two.
Although the cocoa solids within dark chocolate contain flavanols, which are antioxidants that have many health benefits, heavy metals such as cadmium are also found in the cocoa solids.
Cadmium is ingested by cacao plants from the soil; as the cacao tree grows the metal accumulates. But lead is usually found on the outer shell of the cocoa bean and increases as the sun dries the beans.
Christopher Gindlesperger, a spokesperson for the National Confectioners Association, responded to the Consumer Reports news, stating that dark chocolate “can be enjoyed as treats as they have been for centuries,” adding, “The products cited in this study are in compliance with strict quality and safety requirements,” as TODAY <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/favorite-dark-chocolate-may-contains-130424617.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
&#8220;The FDA monitors and regulates levels of environmental contaminants, including lead and cadmium, in foods,” a spokeswoman for the FDA said, adding, “If the agency finds that the level of a contaminant causes the food to be unsafe, we take action, which may include working with the manufacturer to resolve the issue and taking steps to prevent the product from entering, or remaining in, the U.S. market.”

Dark chocolate bar with cocoa beans, cocoa powder. Food background. Close up.

Dark Chocolate May Pose Health Hazard, Report Says. Many Bars Contain Levels Of Lead, Cadmium.

Food

Health

Metals

American candy-maker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chocolate">The Hershey Company</a> warned on Thursday that it would fail to have enough candy come Halloween and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/christmas">Christmas</a> time due to a variety of supply-chain issues and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/labor-shortage">labor shortages</a> plaguing the industry.
Hershey Chief Executive Officer Michele Buck told Reuters that the coming shortage will be caused in part by the Russian-Ukraine war impacting cocoa, edible oil, and other ingredients, while other issues stemming from the economic disruption during COVID are also to blame.
Still, Hershey&#8217;s said that sales for 2022 will top last year, despite not being able to meet demand during the busy holiday season. A recent analysis found that Hershey&#8217;s raised the prices of its various bars by a weighted average of 14%.
&#8220;Management says that the incremental pricing is in response to incremental cost pressure as some hedge expirations approach,&#8221; Goldman Sachs analyst Jason English <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/inflation-chocolate-bars-hershey-154341220.html#:~:text=In%20a%20recent%20note%20to,and%20hikes%20on%20various%20pouch">explained</a>. &#8220;While higher pricing on higher costs is not unique to the company, we believe Hershey is enacting the increases to preserve its growth algorithm which contrasts meaningfully with center-of-plate food companies who are raising prices to minimize earnings declines.&#8221;
The National Confectioners Association also recently told FoodDive that the entire industry is facing pressures due to the state of the American economy.
“There’s no question that the challenges faced across the industry — supply chain, inflation, labor shortages, broad pandemic impact and more — have disproportionately affected small and mid-sized companies compared with their larger counterparts,” Carly Schildhaus, a spokesperson for the trade group, <a href="https://www.fooddive.com/news/small-candy-makers-rethink-business-strategy-inflation-supply-chain-cost/625658/">told</a> FoodDive.
Frankford Candy CEO Stuart Selarnick <a href="https://www.fooddive.com/news/small-candy-makers-rethink-business-strategy-inflation-supply-chain-cost/625658/">added</a> that his Philadelphia candy company has had to get creative in order to find needed ingredients. Selarnick told the outlet that it&#8217;s the first time in company history that there has ever been trouble finding ingredients.
“You have to move on,&#8221; Selnick said. &#8220;You have to be resourceful and find other sources, other opportunities, other suppliers,” Selarnick said. “That’s what we’re really good at because we’re nimble. We can move quickly.”
Adding to the problem — albeit a bittersweet one for the candy makers given the shortage of needed supply — is that demand for the sugary confections is strong even as inflation raises costs across the board.
National Confectioners Association CEO John Downs <a href="https://www.mashed.com/932473/why-some-artisanal-candies-are-more-expensive-post-covid/">told</a> the media that &#8220;in contrast to rising costs for families related to inflation, health care and simply putting food on the table, candy remains a simple, affordable treat. Whether consumers found their inspiration on social media or in the grocery aisle, they reached for chocolate and candy as a means of self-care and enjoyment in an otherwise uncertain time.&#8221;

Hershey’s

Hershey’s Chocolates Warns Of Halloween, Christmas Candy Shortage

Hershey's Chocolates Warns Of Halloween, Christmas Candy Shortage

Economy

labor shortage

Supply Chain

Two workers at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania had to be rescued from a vat of chocolate Thursday in a scene that could have been ripped from the pages of &#8220;Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.&#8221;
Rescue crews responded to the Mars M&amp;M factory in Elizabethtown at around 2 p.m. local time Thursday afternoon. <a href="https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/two-people-trapped-in-chocolate-tank-at-m-m-mars-factory-in-elizabethtown-rescue-operation/article_44282b34-e826-11ec-b462-07a72388f390.html">Lancaster Online</a> reported that more than two dozen emergency personnel arrived at the factory on Brown Street, about 12 miles outside of Hershey. Rescue crews declined to comment at the time, the outlet reported.
&#8220;We are actively managing the situation and our primary focus is supporting emergency teams on site,&#8221; a spokesperson for Mars Wrigley told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/09/us/chocolate-tank-rescue-pennsylvania/index.html?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_term=link&amp;utm_source=twCNN&amp;utm_content=2022-06-09T21%3A32%3A08">CNN</a> Thursday.
The rescue began after two workers fell into a tank of chocolate at the confectionery at around 1:51 p.m., Lancaster County dispatchers said, via <a href="https://www.pennlive.com/news/2022/06/2-people-stuck-in-tank-of-chocolate-at-central-pa-mm-factory.html">Penn Live</a>. The two workers were not hurt, and dispatchers said that the workers were not &#8220;floating around in chocolate.&#8221; The chocolate in the tank was only about waist-high, but neither of the employees could get out of the tank under their own power.
Fire crews on the scene ruled out pulling them out of the tank directly once they arrived on the scene, Lancaster County 911 communications supervisor Brad Wolfe told CNN while the rescue was ongoing. Instead, rescuers decided to cut a hole in the side of the chocolate tank to get them out. A dispatch supervisor told local ABC affiliate <a href="https://www.abc27.com/news/local/people-stuck-in-mars-factory-chocolate-tank-rescue-underway/">WHTM</a> that the first worker was pulled out of the tank at around 3:10 p.m. The second worker was rescued about 15 minutes later. Assistant Dispatch Supervisor Nick Schoenberger told CNN that both patients were taken to area hospitals. &#8220;One patient was transported by ground and one person was transported by helicopter,&#8221; he told the outlet.
Initial reports indicated that neither of the two workers were injured. As of the publication of this article, officials have given no updates on the condition of the two workers. Wolfe told CNN that it is still unclear how the two workers fell into the tank. WHTM reported further that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident.
A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley confirmed to The Daily Wire that the workers had been successfully rescued. &#8220;We can confirm both people have been taken offsite for further evaluation,&#8221; the spokesperson said. &#8220;We’re extremely grateful for the quick work of the first responders.&#8221;
Amidst news that the two employees had been reported safe, social media users joked about the incident, noting that it was a real-life version of Roald Dahl&#8217;s world famous children&#8217;s book &#8220;Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,&#8221; in which greedy German boy Augustus Gloop falls into the factory&#8217;s chocolate river while trying to drink from it.

mars bars (mostly)

Mars M&M Factory Workers Rescued After Falling Into Chocolate Tank

First Responders

Rescue

Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has been forced to issue an apology, but not for the sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape charges that ultimately cost him his empire and landed him behind bars. Rather, Weinstein is apologizing after getting caught with contraband during a search of his jail cell.
The offending item? A box of Milk Duds.
Weinstein, who was <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/harvey-weinstein-will-be-extradited-to-california-to-stand-trial-on-sex-assault-charges/">extradited to California</a> for trial on 11 charges of rape and sexual assault, is currently housed at the Correctional Treatment Center — the medical unit within the Twin Towers jail in downtown Los Angeles. He was previously convicted on multiple similar counts in New York, where he was sentenced to 23 years in prison — but an <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/harvey-weinstein-appeals-sex-crimes-conviction-in-new-york/">appeal</a> in that case is still ongoing.
As he awaits trial, his next trial Weinstein has been permitted to meet with his attorneys face to face — and it was a short time after one such meeting that a search of Weinstein&#8217;s cell yielded contraband.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“This was an innocent misunderstanding,” Weinstein said. “It will not happen again. I have been a model inmate, following the rules and regulations and I am sincerely sorry.” <a href="https://t.co/goTNNWl6zg">https://t.co/goTNNWl6zg</a>
&mdash; Variety (@Variety) <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1499472176205873154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Variety <a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/harvey-weinstein-milk-duds-jail-1235195392/">reported</a> on the incident on Thursday:
<blockquote>Harvey Weinstein was caught with contraband Milk Duds in November, prompting a reprimand from L.A. County jail guards, according to records viewed by Variety.
The Milk Duds were found during a search on Nov. 10, after Weinstein had a face-to-face meeting with Shawn Burkley, one of his attorneys. The Milk Duds were confiscated, and the guards warned that they would have to search his attorneys’ legal binders and laptop bags on future visits.
Weinstein claimed to the guards that he had brought the Milk Duds with him when he was extradited from New York in July. But the jail officials said he had been searched upon his arrival at the L.A. County jail’s medical facility, and nothing was found, leading them to conclude that the Milk Duds were passed to him during the attorney’s visit.</blockquote>
The convicted former producer apologized for the incident in a statement to Variety, saying, &#8220;This was an innocent misunderstanding. It will not happen again. I have been a model inmate, following the rules and regulations and I am sincerely sorry.&#8221;
&#8220;We have been informed about this and are very sorry it happened,&#8221; lead Weinstein attorneys Mark Werksman and Alan Jackson added. &#8220;It had not happened before, and never happened since. Harvey has been a model inmate and intends to continue as such.&#8221;
Jail officials have reportedly warned both Weinstein and his attorneys that officials may reserve the right to search their bags during any future visits, and that if they find any more evidence of contraband in Weinstein&#8217;s possession, he and his attorneys may be obligated to use a special visitation booth for their pretrial conferences going forward.
Three of the five judges who heard Weinstein&#8217;s appeal in New York reportedly <a href="https://variety.com/2021/film/news/harvey-weinstein-go-free-appeals-court-1235135139/">voiced &#8220;concerns&#8221;</a> about the case — particularly the inclusion of numerous uncharged allegations — and his attorneys said they believed it went well. However, even if his New York conviction is overturned, Weinstein faces charges in Los Angeles that could carry a maximum sentence of 140 years.

Harvey Weinstein Los Angeles Court Appearance

‘It Will Not Happen Again’: Disgraced Movie Mogul Harvey Weinstein Forced To Apologize For Sneaking Milk Duds Into Prison

Harvey Weinstein

Sexual Assault

A rude employee at a chocolate shop who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/report-seattle-cop-asks-for-box-of-chocolates-employee-i-wont-serve-you">refused to serve</a> a Seattle police officer lost her job, with the owner of the shop writing that &#8220;it was in the best interest of both parties to part ways with the team member.&#8221;
Last Tuesday, the police officer and a trainee entered the Chocolati Cafe to buy a box of chocolates. The female staffer said she would not serve them, reportedly saying, “No, I won’t serve you.&#8221;
According to <a href="https://thepostmillennial.com/exclusive-seattle-police-officers-refused-service-at-local-chocolate-shop">The Post Millennial</a>, after the encounter with the employee, whom The Post Millennial described as a “white female with green streaks in her hair,” The Post Millennial contacted the store. An employee told The Post Millennial, “Is this how you want to spend your time? Getting essential workers in trouble? Shouldn’t you be spending your time harassing homeless people?”
After the reporter for The Post Millennial then said they would attempt to contact the owner or manager, the employee agreed that would be a better idea, but then reportedly added, “… and go f*** yourself.”
The Post Millennial added, “Following the publication of this article, another police officer contacted The Post Millennial with a similar story from a different date where they were refused service at the Chocolati location on E. Green Lake Dr. N.”
Initially, on Wednesday Chocolati issued a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChocolatiCafes/posts/10159282050919559">statement on Facebook</a> in which they defended the employee’s right to free speech, stating:
<blockquote>We have recently become aware of an incident that occurred with a team member and an officer of the Seattle Police Department who was refused service. Although we do respect this team member&#8217;s freedom of speech, the actions in this instance do not represent our views as a company. We are actively working directly with this team member and the local precinct to create a more inviting, inclusive and cohesive community for all.</blockquote>
But two days later, the cafe’s owner, Christian Wong, announced the employee no longer worked at the store, writing on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChocolatiCafes/posts/10159286672734559">Facebook</a> that &#8220;it was in the best interest of both parties to part ways.&#8221;
<blockquote>As soon as I learned of this incident, we worked to understand the facts of what took place, and we spoke directly with the team member involved. We also spoke with the Sergeant of our local SPD precinct. After fully understanding the facts of this incident, we came to the mutual conclusion that it was in the best interest of both parties to part ways with the team member involved in this incident. …
I look forward to meeting on Sunday with the SPD officer involved in this incident to personally apologize &#8211; just as I would apologize to any customer who was refused service on the basis of an employee’s personal views.</blockquote>
“This incident at Chocolati occurred as the <a href="https://mynorthwest.com/2841645/rantz-66-cops-seattle-police-mass-exodus-worsens/">Seattle Police Department faces a significant crisis</a>. Since last year, over 250 officers have left the force, leaving the SPD with the fewest deployable staff members since at least the 1980s. Concurrently, Seattle hit a 26-year-high homicide rate,” <a href="https://mynorthwest.com/2862783/rantz-chocolati-cafe-staffer-who-denied-seattle-cop-service-is-out-of-a-job/">Jason Rantz of KTTW</a> noted.

box of chocolates in male hands on a dark background

Employee At Chocolate Shop Who Refused Service To Cop Loses Job

Police

Seattle

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