Coming Soon: Print Your Own Chocolate

Hershey introduces 3-D printer that creates custom chocolate treats.

January 30, 2015

HERSHEY, Pa. – The new CocoJet 3-D printer at Hershey headquarters is putting a whole new spin on chocolate production, allowing users to create any number of custom edible designs, in as little as a few minutes.

The unique, food-grade CocoJet 3D printers — developed in partnership with industry leader 3D Systems — were showcased at last month’s Consumer Electronics Show, following their introduction at Hershey’s Chocolate World in late 2014. Beginning in May, Hershey plans to install a permanent 3-D chocolate printer exhibit at Chocolate World, where consumers can order their own likenesses and other custom shapes.

According to an article in Ad Age, the latest iteration of the printer is a 2-foot-by-2-foot glass and metal cube where scientists preside over chocolate creations built layer by layer. The process can take from a few minutes to an hour or more depending on the complexity of the design.  Researchers are constantly working to improve the machine’s technical capabilities, as well as improve the chocolate recipes to ensure that the 3-D creations have the same taste as the classic Hershey products they're mimicking.

"This technology will be fundamental to the way people interact with food in the future," Jeff Mundt, senior marketing manager of technology at Hershey's innovation center, told Ad Age. "If we don't get on the edge and lead the way to edible food printing, somebody else will do it for us. And we're all about innovation."

For now, 3-D printing at Hershey means consumers can commission a custom, edible wedding cake topper or greeting card. But the future could bring other uses, writes Ad Age. According to the article, Hershey has not committed to any specifics, but agreed that distributed manufacturing with the ability for mass-scale 3-D printing in areas without Hershey manufacturing facilities, as well as non-chocolate 3-D food printing, are considerations.

"We've found at Chocolate World that when consumers can engage with chocolate in ways other than going to the grocery store, getting a bar and eating it, it means more to them. There are other ways they can engage now," Mundt told the publication.

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