The term chocolate bar is a popular way of describing a confectionery treat in the form of a bar. This is usually packaged in a bar shape with individual perforations or in a long, narrow, shaped log covered with chocolate. Many types of chocolate bar exist and there are thousands of companies that create chocolate bars. Some of these companies produce many choices of fillings in their chocolate bar, such as nuts, fruit, mint, coconut, marzipan and many more.
The chocolate bar evolved in approximately the late 1900s. Chocolate had become popular many years before the introduction of the bar but the idea of creating a chocolate bar was to provide a more convenient way of consuming the chocolate. The bars could be packaged and sold to eat easily by hand or while on the go. Up to the invention of the chocolate bar, chocolate had been sold by bulk with loose, irregular or formed pieces.
During the Great Depression, the cost of a chocolate bar was five cents. The price rose to ten cents after World War II and remained that price for many years. More advanced packaging and advertising contributed to the increase in cost to the consumer of many types of chocolate bars. Many chocolate companies still make the same bars they started out with, also adding many more varieties. Some popular chocolate bars that are still popular today are Clark Bar 1917, Baby Ruth 1920, The Charleston Chew 1922, Three Musketeers 1932, Fifth Avenue 1936 and many more. The Hershey Chocolate Company makes several chocolate bars that have been enjoyed for many years. The Krackel Chocolate bar was introduced in 1938 and the bars first contained almonds and then in 1939 peanuts were added alongside of the almonds. In 1941 the Hershey company changed the direction of the Krackel bar and removed all nuts and peanuts, which is the way we know the Krackel bar today. The shape of the York Peppermint Pattie may be round but it is still considered a chocolate bar. The Peppermint Pattie was introduced in 1940 and is still enjoyed today.
Chocolate bars can be used for fundraising, as where a sports team, corporation or school uses the chocolate bars to raise money for needed supplies. There are companies that put their corporate logo on the chocolate for use at promotional shows, incentive programs, and customer appreciation or to encourage attendance at board meetings. Wedding favors and other special parties, such as Bar Mitzvahs or milestone birthdays or anniversaries, are perfect occasions to use personalized chocolate bars to mark the day.
Terry Roberts is a professional translator and linguist, with a wide range of interests. To read more about chocolate bars - and about chocolate in general - please visit his website:
Gorgeous Chocolate!
