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Our finely grated baking chocolate is specially crafted to melt with ease. Replace with powdered chocolate 1:1 in any of your favorite recipes.
Peruse through our curated list of free educational resources from our Historic Site Partners. There’s something for everyone young and old.
Applications for the 2027 Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Grant will be accepted through October 23, 2026.
Step back in time and explore the unforgettable moments from the Heritage Chocolate Society 2026 meeting.
The Heritage Chocolate Society celebrated its 23rd annual meeting on February 18-19, 2026 in Washington D.C. Established in 2003 by American history advocate Forrest E. Mars, Jr., the Heritage Chocolate Society was created to further the study of chocolate’s diverse history and its impact on culture in the Americas, both past and present. For the past 23 years, the meeting has brought compelling, noteworthy, and best-in-class speakers to inspire, connect, and equip attendees from America’s most iconic history and culture museums to make a lasting impact on their visitor experience.
This year’s Heritage Chocolate Society meeting, “SPRINGBOARD: INDUSTRY DISRUPTION & FUTURE PROOFING,” included sessions, panels, and workshops led by leaders of historic sites and museums discussing social media, hospitality, retail, membership, community building, and reaching Gen Alpha as our country celebrates its 250th anniversary.
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Relive special moments at HCS 2026.
Take a look at the highlights from HCS 2026!
$700,000. 36 organizations. 69 projects.
See how the Forrest E. Mars Jr. Chocolate History Grants have brought chocolate's history to life since 2013.
A look at the History Tellers Award and the people dedicated to keeping America's history alive.
Learn how historic and cultural organizations, universities, and education services created programs, activations, and teaching opportunities through the 2025 Forrest E. Mars Jr. Chocolate Grant Awards.
Presented by The Tampa Bay Times Newspaper in Education / Florida Press Educational Services
Watch how a new curriculum brings the science and history of chocolate-making into middle school classrooms.
Presented by The Lovett School
See how 4th grade teachers built an immersive chocolate history curriculum that reached 1,100 students in its first year.
Presented by The New York Historical
Explore the life of George Washington's chef, Hercules Posey, through an exhibit and reimagined scavenger hunt designed for K-8 students at the DiMenna Children's History Museum.
Presented by Historic Philadelphia and Betsy Ross House
Watch how chocolate demonstrations by Mary Crathorne were expanded into a program exploring the economics and politics of the chocolate trade.
Presented by Conner Prairie
Three programs, one grant. From a ticketed Valentine's event to hands-on chocolate bar making and a celebration of Indiana's chocolate legacy. See how Conner Prairie brought chocolate history to life.
Presented by the University of Florida
Walk through the landscapes of cocoa production and hear the oral histories and rituals that continue to sustain farming traditions across Trinidad and Tobago.
HCS 2026 brought together a compelling lineup of industry speakers, researchers, and peers.
Presented by Dr. Fernande Raine, Founder and Co-Leader, History Co:Lab
Discover how history, when taught through the lens of neuroscience and learning science, becomes one of our most powerful tools for shaping curiosity, resilience, and civic imagination in today's young people.
Presented by Caroline Bader, Vice President, Category Leadership, Mars Snacking
Explore the rapidly evolving world of shopper behavior and checkout technologies, and learn how to build a transaction-zone strategy optimized for shoppers, operations, and sales growth.
Featuring Kwasi Hope, Historian and Content Creator, and Patrick Madden, Executive Director, National Archives Foundation
Go behind the curtain on how young audiences are rediscovering history through 30-second videos and social media feeds.
Moderated by Dave Borghesani, Chief Historian, Mars Snacking North America
A panel of museum leaders representing diverse communities discuss where their organizations are headed and how they are building community while telling their stories.
Presented by James Pepper Henry, President, The Kanza Heritage Society
Follow the journey of how a 28-ton Sacred Red Rock was rematriated to the Kaw Nation nearly a century after its removal, sparking a new era of collaboration between the City of Lawrence, Kansas and the Kaw Nation.
Moderated by Valeri Donati, President, Brand Building Communications
Two history museum leaders share how they have leveraged restaurants and catering to add value for guests, and what it really takes to find the right hospitality fit for their institutions.
Presented by Caroline Klibanoff, Executive Director, Made By Us
A look at Made By Us's 2025 highlights and an interactive workshop where Next Gen Associates and museum guests brainstormed the future of museums together.
Led by Cameron Katz, Head of Content and Partnership, Made By Us
A panel discussion on how history and cultural institutions are using social media to stay connected and engage with everyone.
The moments, the conversations, the connections. It’s all here. Browse and download the full photo gallery from this year’s meeting in Washington, D.C.
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