Hollywood Candy Company
History
Frank Martoccio, an Italian-American businessman who ran a macaroni company in Minneapolis, accidentally entered the candy business in 1912 after purchasing the entire equipment inventory of a defunct candy plant in the tiny town of Hollywood, Minnesota. The company's most beloved product was the Milk Shake bar, launched in 1927: a malted milk nougat enveloped in milk chocolate, designed to taste like a chocolate malt milkshake and eaten frozen in summer. Martoccio also invented a heat-resistant synthetic coating for his bars. The Centralia, Illinois plant burned to the ground in 1980. Hershey purchased all the brands in 1993 and discontinued the Milk Shake bar entirely.
Products
- Milk Shake bar (1927)
- Zero bar
- PayDay bar (1932)
Candy Pages
- Milk Shake Bar
A candy bar with a light, airy malted milk nougat center enrobed in milk chocolate — designed to taste like a chocolate malt milkshake and eaten frozen in summer.
- Zero Bar
A white-fudge-coated candy bar with a caramel, peanut, and almond nougat center — one of the few candy bars to use white coating instead of milk chocolate.
Notable Firsts
- Milk Shake bar — one of the first candy bars designed to replicate a soda fountain drink
What Happened
Brands discontinued by Hershey, 1993