Holiday on September 13, 2026 — International Chocolate Day
On September 13, the world celebrates International Chocolate Day—an unofficial holiday honoring one of the most popular sweets. The date is associated with the birthday of American entrepreneur and chocolatier Milton S. Hershey, who was born on September 13, 1857, and made milk chocolate accessible to the general public. In 2026, International Chocolate Day falls on a Sunday.
International Chocolate Day is celebrated on September 13. The date is not an official public holiday and does not involve any single, standardized international format for celebration. It is more of a themed day that provides an opportunity to talk about the history of chocolate, its production, famous brands, and, of course, simply to enjoy your favorite dessert. In 2026, the holiday falls on September 13, a Sunday. This date is associated with the birthday of Milton S. Hershey—an American entrepreneur who, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, made a huge contribution to the development of mass production of milk chocolate.
However, this date should not be confused with another popular holiday—World Chocolate Day on July 7. Calendars feature several chocolate-related dates throughout the year, including July 7, September 13, and national chocolate days in various countries. That is why the terms “World Chocolate Day” and “International Chocolate Day” are sometimes used interchangeably, even though they refer to different dates. September 13 has a special connection to the history of Hershey. Milton Hershey was born on this day in 1857 in Pennsylvania. He later became one of America’s most famous confectionery manufacturers and founded a company whose name is known around the world today.
Who Was Milton Hershey?
Milton Snavelli Hershey was more than just a chocolate maker. He was an entrepreneur, confectioner, and philanthropist who tried several times to build a successful business and did not achieve success right away. In his youth, Hershey worked in the confectionery industry. His first entrepreneurial ventures were unsuccessful, but he did not give up. In 1886, he founded the Lancaster Caramel Company, which began producing caramel using fresh milk. The business gradually grew into a large company, and its products were sold not only in the U.S. but also abroad.
The 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago proved to be a turning point. There, Hershey saw modern equipment for chocolate production and became interested in the possibility of manufacturing this product on a large scale. He purchased the equipment and installed it at his caramel factory in Lancaster. In 1894, the Hershey Chocolate Company was established as a subsidiary of the Lancaster Caramel Company. Initially, it produced various chocolate products, but Hershey himself gradually realized that the future of his business lay specifically in chocolate. In 1900, he sold the Lancaster Caramel Company for $1 million. This money allowed him to focus entirely on the chocolate business. That same year, Hershey’s milk chocolate hit the market.
How Chocolate Ceased to Be a Luxury
Today, you can buy chocolate practically everywhere. But a few centuries ago, things were completely different. The first chocolate drinks that Europeans encountered bore no resemblance to modern cocoa or hot chocolate. In pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, cacao was used to make a bitter drink. It was consumed by the elite, and cacao beans were so highly valued that they were even used as a medium of exchange.
In the 16th century, chocolate made its way to Europe. The Spanish brought cocoa from the Americas, after which Europeans began adding sugar and other ingredients to the drink to make it sweeter. Gradually, chocolate became popular among the European nobility. For a long time, chocolate remained an expensive product that was affordable mainly to the wealthy. The situation began to change in the 19th century, when technological advances made it possible to produce chocolate on a much larger scale.
One of the key milestones was the invention of cocoa powder production technology in 1828. It helped make chocolate production more efficient and paved the way for the emergence of modern chocolate bars. And then Milton Hershey entered the picture. His main idea was not simply to create a new product, but to make milk chocolate accessible to a wide range of consumers.
How Hershey’s Chocolate Came to Be
Creating good milk chocolate turned out to be no easy task. Hershey experimented extensively with milk, sugar, and cocoa, trying to achieve a product with a pleasant taste and consistent texture. The experiments lasted several years. The Hershey Community Archives note that Hershey personally worked on the recipe and sought a way to achieve the right blend of milk and chocolate.
In 1900, the first Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars went on sale at what was then an affordable price—ranging from 2 to 10 cents depending on size. Later, the standard bar cost 5 cents. It was this affordability that became one of the reasons why milk chocolate quickly won over the mass market. Hershey also decided to build not just a factory in Pennsylvania, but an entire town for his workers. By the early 20th century, a settlement had begun to form around the new chocolate factory, which was named Hershey. The factory was completed in 1905, and the town itself gradually transformed into a true “chocolate capital.”
Interestingly, Hershey was known for more than just his business acumen. He devoted a great deal of money to education and helping children. His own childhood had been difficult—he had not received a formal education—so he later placed particular emphasis on creating educational opportunities for young people.
Chocolate That Helped the Troops
Chocolate has more than just a sweet history. During World War II, the Hershey Company produced special chocolate rations for American soldiers. In 1937, the U.S. Army approached Hershey with a request to create a compact product for emergency rations. It had to be nutritious, high in calories, able to withstand high temperatures, and not spoil during transport. At the same time, the military specifically wanted the bar not to be too tasty—it was meant to be saved for a last resort, not eaten like a regular candy bar.
That’s how Field Ration D came to be. It was a very dense chocolate bar with high energy content. Thanks to its special formula, it didn’t melt easily even at high temperatures, so it could be carried in a pocket. The taste of this chocolate, to put it mildly, was not its main selling point. The bar was created primarily as an emergency food supply, not as a dessert. The U.S. Army even required that it be unpalatable enough to prevent soldiers from eating it unnecessarily.
Later, Hershey created the Tropical Bar—a chocolate designed to withstand very high temperatures and suitable for troops stationed in tropical regions. By the end of the war, the company had produced a huge number of military chocolate rations. According to the Hershey Community Archives, more than three billion of these rations were produced between 1940 and 1945. So, during the war, chocolate was more than just a treat for many soldiers. It served as a compact source of energy that was easy to take along on the road.
Chocolate even made it to Antarctica
Another interesting fact is connected with the British explorer Robert Scott. Chocolate was part of the provisions during his first expedition to Antarctica from 1901 to 1904. In 2001, a Cadbury chocolate bar that had been part of Scott’s expedition was sold at a Christie’s auction in London. The bar was approximately 100 years old, still wrapped and stored in a metal box. The buyer paid 470 pounds sterling for it.
For the expedition, it was more than just a dessert. Chocolate and cocoa were part of the polar explorers’ food supplies because they provided a lot of energy and were easy to transport. According to Guinness World Records, over 1.5 metric tons of cocoa and chocolate were taken on Scott’s expedition. Part of the supplies was intended to feed the people traveling by sled under extremely harsh conditions. The very fact that a chocolate bar has been preserved for about a century already sounds unusual. And its sale at auction shows how an ordinary chocolate bar can become a historical artifact.
Why Has Chocolate Become So Popular?
The secret to chocolate’s popularity lies not only in its sweet taste. It comes in a vast array of varieties, so practically everyone can find their favorite. There’s milk, dark, and white chocolate. Nuts, caramel, dried fruit, cookies, coconut, sea salt, spices, and even hot peppers are added to it. Chocolate is used not only in bars but also in cakes, ice cream, cookies, drinks, candies, and desserts.
Dark chocolate usually contains more cocoa and less sugar than milk chocolate. That’s why it has a richer and more bitter taste. Milk chocolate is milder and sweeter. Its mass production was one of Hershey’s major achievements in the early 20th century. White chocolate stands apart because it contains no cocoa powder. It contains cocoa butter, sugar, and milk ingredients, which is why it has a light color and a completely different flavor profile.
How International Chocolate Day Is Celebrated
Since this is an unofficial date, there are no set rules for celebrating. Different countries mark Chocolate Day in different ways—from a cozy tea party at home with a bar of chocolate to themed festivals, tastings, and special offers at pastry shops. Chocolate shops and cafes may host tastings of different varieties. People are invited to compare milk and dark chocolate, try chocolate with unusual ingredients, or learn more about the origins of cocoa beans.
Pastry shops host workshops. For example, you can learn how to make candies, truffles, chocolate cake decorations, or hot chocolate. Another option is to simply host a chocolate tasting at home. You can buy a few bars with different cocoa contents and compare their flavors. For kids, you can make a chocolate dessert or bake cookies together. But there’s an even simpler way to celebrate this day—buy a small bar of your favorite chocolate and enjoy it for no particular reason. In fact, it’s hard to think of a more fitting tradition for this holiday.
Interesting Facts About Chocolate
Milton Hershey was born on September 13. He came into the world in Pennsylvania on September 13, 1857. That is why his birthday became the symbolic basis for the date of International Chocolate Day.
Hershey initially made his name not with chocolate, but with caramel. His Lancaster Caramel Company became very successful, and in 1900, the entrepreneur sold it for $1 million to focus on the chocolate business.
The first Hershey’s milk bars were sold for a few cents. In 1900, the price depended on the size and ranged from 2 to 10 cents. The five-cent bar eventually became the standard.
The chocolate bar was used as a military ration. Hershey produced special bars for the U.S. Army that were designed to withstand the heat and provide soldiers with plenty of energy.
Billions of military chocolate bars were produced. According to the Hershey Community Archives, more than three billion rations were produced between 1940 and 1945.
Chocolate has even been to Antarctica. A Cadbury bar from Robert Scott’s 1901–1904 expedition was sold at a London auction in 2001 for 470 pounds.
Chocolate has several themed dates throughout the year. September 13 is International Chocolate Day, and July 7 is World Chocolate Day. Because of this, different calendars may list different dates for chocolate holidays.
Chocolate as Part of History
The history of chocolate is much longer than that of modern confectionery brands. Today, it is associated with gifts, dates, holidays, and little treats, but cocoa was once an exotic product consumed in a completely different way. Chocolate has undergone a tremendous transformation. From a bitter drink in pre-Columbian America, it evolved into a European delicacy and then into a mass-produced product available in virtually every country.
Milton Hershey played a role in this story. He didn’t invent chocolate, but he helped turn milk chocolate into an affordable mass-market product in the United States. His entrepreneurial approach changed not only the production of sweets but also the entire city that grew up around the chocolate factory. That’s why September 13 isn’t just an excuse to open a chocolate bar. It’s an opportunity to reflect on the long history of a product that has evolved from ancient cocoa-based beverages to modern chocolate bars, candies, and desserts. And if you just happen to crave some chocolate on this day—that’s probably the best reason to celebrate.
