Alex Rast wrote:
> About a month ago I got asked on Hershey's Extra Dark 60%. At that
point I
> hadn't tried it so my response was only able to be conjectural at
best. So
> now, the actual results.
>
> Hershey's Extra Dark 60% is really quite good, borderline excellent,
> indeed. Considering its manufacturer's past results, it's a
spectacular
> success. They've managed to extract considerable fruity flavour -
cherry in
> the initial taste, not to mention blueberry in the aroma, and it's
got a
> nice chocolatey main flavour to it. The only disappointment is a
very flat
> finish, and without this negative the bar would *definitely* be
excellent
> if not great. Texture, too, is on a par with high-end chocolatiers,
very
> smooth and creamy. I note that they're also using natural vanilla
and in
> general the ingredient label contains nothing commonly seen as suspect
> among the chocoscenti. "Extra Dark" is perhaps a misnomer
(typically that
> would be more of an 85%-class bar) but we may pardon them for that
label in
> view of the chocolate's appeal. Good value considering it's $1.99
for a
> 100g bar, although I have to note that there are cheaper chocolates
for the
> same size, some of them with equivalent quality. All indications
are that
> Hershey's is taking the quality chocolate market seriously.
>
> In a larger sense, indeed, the whole chocolate industry is moving
upscale.
> Commodity brands like Hershey's and Lindt are producing excellent
chocolate
> and boutique brands are exploring new sources and showing off single
> varietals.
>
> I wonder how much of this is being driven by the political
instabilities
> and infamous work conditions now so publicly exposed in the Ivory
Coast,
> the traditional major cocoa source for large producers?
>
I noticed something else. Some of the large Chain Drug Stores, Rite
Aid in this particular case, are starting to carry more dark chocolate
items. Dove used to be the only ones until now, but yesterday I saw a
whole bin filled with packages of Dark Chocolate Hershey Kisses for
Valentine's Day. Hershey's Special, their dark chocolate is available
in all the stores now, something that was not so just a short time ago.

Is this happening only in the New York City area or did others notice
it in their stores?