Introduction to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
Reese’s peanut butter cups are a legendary duo of timeless flavors, made famous by HB Reese in 1928 with his penny cup, which became Hershey’s top-selling product and spawned numerous spin-offs. Today, the iconic candy is everywhere, with its classic combination of sweet and nutty flavors brought to life in the Reese’s factory.
The Production Process
Hershey’s factory in Pennsylvania produces beloved sweets, including Reese’s products, which generate a $3 billion annual business. The factory makes its own peanut butter blend from scratch, using runner peanuts from the southeastern US, to create the iconic Reese’s flavor used in candies like Reese’s Pieces and Cups.
Peanut Production
Peanut production for Reese’s involves several steps:
- Unloading massive 2,500-pound bags containing over 2 million peanuts into a giant hopper
- Pouring them onto a conveyor for cleaning, using a vibrating platform to remove debris
- Roasting in a giant tunnel at 289°F for 35 minutes, with Reese’s intentionally overroasting them to bring out a bold, nutty flavor and signature granular texture
Interestingly, HB Reese’s signature granular texture was discovered by accident due to a faulty overheating roster, turning a potentially ruined batch into a flavor breakthrough still used today.
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Production
Peanut butter is made by crushing nuts between steel plates, then mixing with salt, sugar, and hydrogenated oil to create a smooth, spreadable paste. The peanut butter is then either bottled for sale or stored in giant barrels for use in Reese’s products.
For Reese’s cups, the peanut butter is prepared using a giant vacuum-style machine that slurps up the peanut butter and sends it through a tube into a mixer, where it’s turned into a thick, smooth base. Meanwhile, the chocolate shell is prepared on the other side of the factory, using a unique formula that starts with fresh cocoa beans ground into chocolate liquor, mixed with sugar, cocoa butter, milk, and powdered lactose to create a chocolate powder called “crumb”.
Assembly and Packaging
The production of Reese’s cups involves a conveyor system where paper liners are placed in trays, and a machine pours liquid chocolate into them. The chocolate is then spread evenly with a blast of air, building the base layer of the cups. Peanut butter filling is funneled into an extruder machine, which pushes it out through circular tubes, and sharp blades slice it into perfectly round portions called plugs. The plugs land in the center of the chocolate-lined cups, and the cups glide down a vibrating conveyor, giving each plug a gentle shake to nestle it evenly into the chocolate.
A final layer of chocolate is poured on top, capping off each cup, and a blast of air smooths out the surface. The cups are then cooled in a 35ft long tunnel at 55°F for 35 minutes to lock in their signature snap and creamy bite. After cooling, the cups are sent through a demolder machine, where robotic claws place them onto a conveyor, and then paired up using a rotating machine before being packaged and hitting the shelves.
Final Product
Reese’s cups are paired and heat sealed in their distinctive orange wrappers, with the machine producing 800 pairs per minute, before being boxed and sent out to satisfy fans across the country, contributing to their cult following with various options available. The perfect combination of peanut butter and chocolate, along with the unique production process, has made Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups a beloved treat for generations.
Key Vocabulary
| Term | Definition | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Peanut Butter Cups | A type of candy consisting of a peanut butter filling covered in milk chocolate. | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are a classic example of this treat. |
| Runner Peanuts | A type of peanut commonly used for peanut butter production due to its high oil content and flavor. | Reese’s uses runner peanuts from the southeastern US to make their peanut butter blend. |
| Hydrogenated Oil | A type of oil that has been processed to make it more solid at room temperature, often used in food production for texture and shelf life. | Hydrogenated oil is added to peanut butter to create a smooth, spreadable paste. |
| Chocolate Liquor | A paste made from ground cocoa beans, used as a base for making chocolate. | Reese’s chocolate shell is made from a unique formula starting with fresh cocoa beans ground into chocolate liquor. |
| Cocoa Butter | A natural fat extracted from cocoa beans, used to give chocolate its smooth and melt-in-your-mouth texture. | Cocoa butter is mixed with sugar, milk, and powdered lactose to create the chocolate powder used in Reese’s cups. |
| Conveyor System | A system used in manufacturing to transport materials or products from one place to another, often using belts or chains. | Reese’s uses a conveyor system to assemble and package their peanut butter cups. |
| Extruder Machine | A machine used to shape and form materials, such as peanut butter, into a specific shape or form. | Reese’s uses an extruder machine to shape their peanut butter filling into perfectly round portions. |
| Demolder Machine | A machine used to remove products, such as chocolate cups, from their molds or packaging. | Reese’s uses a demolder machine to remove their peanut butter cups from their molds after cooling. |
| Heat Sealing | A process used to seal packaging, such as plastic or foil, using heat and pressure. | Reese’s peanut butter cups are paired and heat sealed in their distinctive orange wrappers. |
Watch The Video
Vocabulary Quiz
1. What does the term “granular texture” refer to in the context of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups?
A) The smoothness of the chocolate shell
B) The crunch of the peanuts
C) The signature texture of the peanut butter achieved through overroasting
D) The creaminess of the peanut butter
2. Which of the following is a step in the peanut production process for Reese’s?
A) Grinding the peanuts into a fine powder
B) Pouring them onto a conveyor for cleaning, using a vibrating platform to remove debris
C) Mixing the peanuts with sugar and salt
D) Boiling the peanuts in water
3. What is the purpose of the demolder machine in the assembly and packaging process of Reese’s cups?
A) To pour the chocolate into the cups
B) To cool the cups in a tunnel
C) To place the cups onto a conveyor using robotic claws
D) To mix the peanut butter with the chocolate
4. How are the peanut butter plugs formed in the production of Reese’s cups?
A) By pouring liquid peanut butter into molds
B) By funnelling peanut butter filling into an extruder machine, which pushes it out through circular tubes
C) By mixing the peanut butter with the chocolate
D) By crushing the peanuts into a fine powder
5. What is the temperature used to cool the Reese’s cups in the assembly and packaging process?
A) 289°F
B) 55°F
C) 35°F
D) 100°F
Answer Key:
1. C
2. B
3. C
4. B
5. B
Grammar Focus
Grammar Focus: The Use of the Passive Voice
Grammar Quiz:
1. The peanut butter blend ______ by the factory from scratch.
A) makes
B) is made
C) make
D) are made
2. The chocolate shell ______ on the other side of the factory using a unique formula.
A) is prepared
B) prepare
C) prepares
D) are prepared
3. The cups ______ in a 35ft long tunnel at 55°F for 35 minutes to lock in their signature snap and creamy bite.
A) cool
B) are cooled
C) cooling
D) cool down
4. The peanut butter ______ by crushing nuts between steel plates, then mixing with salt, sugar, and hydrogenated oil.
A) is made
B) make
C) makes
D) are made
5. The cups ______ through a demolder machine, where robotic claws place them onto a conveyor.
A) send
B) are sent
C) sends
D) sending
Answer Key:
1. B) is made
2. A) is prepared
3. B) are cooled
4. A) is made
5. B) are sent
