It's caused by transportation problems. Chocolate-based products might require refrigeration when moved around and usage of refrigerated vessels so far makes China-based production less competitive. Btw, it partially explains why processed food products, in general, rarely carry 'made in China' label.

>From a business perspective this is a good move. You do not have to comply with the labor and wage laws of the United States, social security, benefits, health standards, use of chemicals, and other laws that took many years to be introduced into our system to protect the quality of what we eat and the people involved.
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>Why not send this operation to China? That should be even more profitable. Perhaps that concept is in the works. One step at a time.
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>Number four from the list remains to be proven. :)
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>>>Here is one way to prevent illegal aliens from working in our country. Just send the plant to Mexico. Perhaps this will allow a few aliens to remain at home and have employment. As for the 575 workers in Oakdale, as well as the dairies and other dependencies, this is the old story of profit first and all that.
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>>>Oakdale is about 30 miles west of Sonora, California, where I just spent a relaxing few days. There is not much employment in that area of California, at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
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>>>http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/888958/an/0/page/0
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>>>Personally, I am sending Hershey’s a letter letting them know that I do not appreciate the action they are taking with the Oakdale plant, and will never again purchase any of their products.
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>>>Oh and by the way, we could not find any illegal aliens cleaning the rooms at Best Western in Sonora, or anywhere else in town. Interesting. I thought that only illegal’s did that type of work because no one else wanted to do it?
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>>Do you have an address for them? I can't find one on their web site. I did find their mission statement, however:
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>>In seeking to balance our desire for profitable growth with the obligations which we have to various other constituencies, we shall strive to:
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>>1. Protect and enhance the corporation's high level of ethics and conduct.
>>2. Maintain a strong "people" orientation and demonstrate care for every employee.
>>3. Attract and hold customers and consumers with products and services of consistently superior quality and value.
>>4. Sustain a strong results orientation coupled with a prudent approach to business.
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>>I guess #1 and #2 are pretty much history, and I expect at least the latter part of #3 to go when they're in production in Mexico too.