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Chocolate is the MVP of Valentine’s Day.

Every February, millions of Americans buy heart-shaped boxes, chocolate bars, truffles, and caramel treats without giving much thought to where they’re made. But if you care about supporting American manufacturing and U.S. jobs, it’s worth taking a closer look at the label.

The good news? Several major chocolate brands still manufacture products right here in the United States.

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🍫 Major Chocolate Brands Manufactured in the U.S.

🍫 The Hershey Company

Many Hershey’s products are manufactured in Pennsylvania and other U.S. facilities. The company is American-owned and has deep manufacturing roots in the United States. While ingredients like cocoa are globally sourced (as is common in the industry), much of the production happens domestically.

🍬 Russell Stover Chocolates

Russell Stover produces chocolate in U.S. facilities, including Kansas and Texas. The brand is owned by Lindt & Sprüngli (a Swiss company), but the manufacturing of Russell Stover products remains U.S.-based.

🍫 Ghirardelli Chocolate Company

Ghirardelli manufactures much of its chocolate in California. Like Russell Stover, it is owned by Lindt & Sprüngli but continues to operate U.S. production facilities.

🥚 Elmer Chocolate

Elmer Chocolate manufactures in Louisiana and is American-owned. It is one of the largest independent chocolate manufacturers in the United States.

🐢 DeMet’s Turtles

DeMet’s Turtles are manufactured in U.S. facilities. While ownership has changed over time, production remains domestic.

American-Owned vs. American-Made: Why the Distinction Matters

One important point:
An American brand name does not automatically mean a product is manufactured in the United States.

Some companies are American-owned but manufacture overseas.
Others are foreign-owned but manufacture in the United States.

From a jobs and manufacturing standpoint, where the product is produced matters most. Domestic production supports American workers, factory communities, logistics networks, and supply chains.

How to Check Before You Buy

If you want to support U.S. manufacturing this Valentine’s Day (or any day), here are a few simple steps:

✔ Check the package for country-of-origin labeling
✔ Visit the company’s website and review their manufacturing information
✔ Look for transparency about production facilities
✔ Support brands that clearly invest in U.S. operations

It only takes a few seconds — but multiplied across millions of consumers, those small decisions can have real economic impact.

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Why It Matters

When Americans choose products manufactured in the United States, they help:

🇺🇸 Support domestic factory jobs
🇺🇸 Strengthen local and regional economies
🇺🇸 Reinforce American supply chains
🇺🇸 Encourage companies to keep production at home

Buying American doesn’t mean perfection. It means awareness.

This Valentine’s Day, as you pick up something sweet for someone special, consider where it was made. Supporting American manufacturing can be one of the sweetest decisions you make.

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New government data shows that the U.S. trade deficit rose sharply in November, increasing from approximately $29 billion in October to $56.8 billion in just one month. The trade deficit measures the gap between what the United States imports from other countries and what it exports abroad, and shifts of this size are significant.

The increase was driven by a combination of declining exports and rising imports. During November, U.S. exports fell, while imports rose as Americans purchased more foreign-made goods. Among the categories contributing to the increase were pharmaceuticals and industrial equipment—products that are closely tied to manufacturing, supply chains, and skilled labor.

How the Trade Deficit Affects Domestic Manufacturing

When imports grow faster than exports, the trade gap widens. Over time, sustained trade imbalances can place pressure on domestic manufacturing by encouraging more production to occur overseas rather than within the United States. This can affect factory output, employment opportunities, and investment in local supply chains.

Manufacturing is not just about factories—it supports a broad ecosystem of jobs, including engineers, technicians, logistics workers, and suppliers. When production shifts abroad, the ripple effects are often felt in American communities through reduced job growth and weaker local economies.

It’s also important to note that monthly trade data can be volatile, influenced by timing, inventory decisions, and global market conditions. Still, sharp month-to-month swings serve as a reminder of how interconnected trade flows and domestic production really are.

The Role of Consumers in Supporting U.S. Production

Buying American-made products is not a cure-all for trade imbalances, nor does it replace the need for broader economic and industrial strategies. However, consumer choices do play a role. When demand exists for U.S.-made goods, it helps support domestic factories, skilled workers, and local supply chains.

Clear labeling and transparency around where products are made can make it easier for consumers to align their purchases with their values. Small decisions—made consistently—can contribute to a stronger domestic manufacturing base over time.

Why “Made in the USA” Still Matters

Where products are made continues to matter for economic resilience, workforce development, and long-term competitiveness. Trade data like November’s report highlights how quickly conditions can change and why maintaining a healthy manufacturing sector at home remains important.

Supporting American-made products is one way consumers can help reinforce domestic production and keep more economic activity within the United States.

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It is widely agreed upon that nation’s need to trade with each other so that people all over the world can have access to everything they need to live a comfortable lifestyle. Where things tend to get a little problematic is that not every country plays by the same set of rules when it comes to trading with others. China has long been viewed as one of the biggest culprits when it comes to the application of fair trade, and the ramifications of how they operate stretch all the way to the United States. The reality is that the US buys more from China than it sells to them, which begs the question of how to create a fair trade policy where both sides benefit.

The idea being floated at the moment is to place larger tariffs on goods being imported from China, but will that really solve the issue? Given that the Chinese are free to turn around and do the same with products that they import from America would suggest that this is not a way to achieve fair trade with China over the long haul. This is being played as a political issue right now, but the reality is that fair trade is something that both sides want, but figuring out how to get there is where things get tricky.

Part of the problem is that the average consumer loves to feel as though they are getting a bargain when they shop, which is why they often purchase lower-priced Chinese products. This is particularly true in the high-tech market, where all the gadgets we love can be purchased at a cheaper price by going with a Chinese-made version. The United States is well ahead of China when it comes to the high-tech industry, but they cannot compete with the lower production costs, and therefore lower sales prices, of overseas products.

What we need to remember is that China are still relatively new to the global trade scene, as they only really opened up trade routes to the world in the last 40 years or so. As such, they have higher than average import tariffs than other developed countries, although we are seeing that average begin to drop. Everyone believes that fair trade with China is something that can be accomplished, but it is going to take some time and effort to create a fair trade policy that works for both sides.

You may well be wondering what you, as a consumer, can do right now. For a start, you can become part of the Buy American Campaign and make sure that the majority of your purchases are from companies that are owned and operated within your own borders. Sure, that may mean spending a few bucks extra on certain items, but by doing so you are improving our economy and making the country as a whole that much stronger. We will always need to depend on imports for certain items, but there are still plenty of things that we can buy that are American made, and all without breaking the bank.

 

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It is more than fair to suggest that the American public as a whole is now much more environmentally conscious than ever before. Perhaps it is the fact that we have access to so much information nowadays that allows us to make choices that are better for the planet. The materials we use for packing, the types of vehicles that we drive, and the type of fuel that we use all impact the planet in one way or another. If you are making choices without considering the impact on the environment, then you are definitely leaving a larger carbon footprint than your friends and neighbors.

While people are now getting smarter about the choices they make when it comes to the environment, there is one particular item that slips through the cracks. What we are talking about here is consistently purchasing goods that are made overseas. All the hard work that you put in to reduce your carbon footprint and make a positive mark on the environment can quickly be wiped out if every item that you buy is made somewhere other than in the United States.

Yes, we understand that many of the items in question are more affordable than the American-made version, but they are very often less durable or well made, which often means that you end up spending more money in the ling run. That aside, have you ever taken a moment to think about how all of those products end up in the store at your local mall. They have to get them from pretty far away, so it stands to reason that massive amounts of goods are transported in from places all over the globe on a daily basis, and therein lies the problem when we are talking about the carbon footprint.

There are a variety of different ways to get foreign goods from Point A to Point B, but none of them can be considered environmentally friendly. Some manufacturers will use air freight to deliver products, using up massive amounts of airplane fuel in the process. Other will take to the ocean to deliver goods, and we all know what sort of state that the waterways of the world are in now thanks to pollution and common trade routes being used to death.

All of this is not to suggest that US manufacturers do not leave behind any sort of carbon footprint, because they very obviously do. The reality, though, is that there are shorter distances to travel to get those goods in the hand of the American consumer, and when you consider that Many American companies are now actively going out of their way to manufacture their products using environmentally friendly practices, it stands to reason that their carbon footprint will be a whole lot smaller than a company shipping in items from halfway across the globe. Buying American is smart and patriotic, and it can also be argued that it is better for the environment.

 

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In many parts of the world, the national flag tells you little about the country that it represents. This is certainly not the case with the Stars and Stripes, the flag of the United States of America. Each element of the flag tells you a little about the history of the country, while the colors used also have meaning. For the average America, the flag of this great nation invokes a sense of pride and patriotism that cannot be matched, but those people would probably feel even more proud of the stars and stripes if they were aware of just how important it is to the USA.

The Stars and Stripes, which was approved as the national flag back in 1777, actually came to prominence before it received that status. During the American Revolution, which ran from 1765 to 1783, the flag would be hoisted at the headquarters of General George Washington. It’s no real surprise then that flag became known as a symbol of freedom and independence, as the United States prevailed and broke away from British rule during that war. Soldiers leading their men into battle would wave the flag and use it to show the freedoms that they were fighting for.

As most people are probably already aware, the flag of the United States is comprised of 13 red and white stripes, as well as 50 white stars with a blue background. The stars are in place to represent the current number of states, with that number changing over the years, while the stripes are used to signify the 13 original colonies in the US. While there is no official reasoning behind the colors used in the flag, a member of the Continental Congress suggested that the red stood for valor, the white for innocence, and the blue for perseverance, all of which are outstanding traits.

The Stars and Stripes has become one of the most recognizable icons in the world and is also used as a way to honor those who have fallen in protecting the rights of the individuals of this nation. Soldiers killed in action on foreign shores are returned home with the flag draped over their coffins, while the families of fallen police and firefighters are presented with the flag at the funeral, with the Stars and Stripes presented in a folded triangular fashion at these solemn events.

While not as important as the reasons discussed previously, the use of an American flag on the products that you buy today shows that those items were manufactured in this country. There are many different ways to honor the flag and all that it stands for, and it can certainly be argued that buying goods made right here in the United States is one way to do so. Many of us proudly wear the colors of the flag every single day, and it’s certainly great to know that by doing so, we also honor the people who choose to maintain businesses devoted to keeping jobs in America.

We have several high quality American flags featured on our sister site.

Please visit: http://buyamericancampaign.com/american-flags-for-sale/ 

 

 

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Companies often move their manufacturing overseas because they believe it to be less expensive than manufacturing in America. That said, there are plenty of good reasons why some businesses choose to stay. Here are 5 ways to effectively promote your “Made in America” products.

1. Use marketing to promote your American-made brand.

   Consumers in this country want to support businesses that choose to operate in the United States, but they need to know that you are a US-based company. Let them know your stance by making it clear that your brand is totally American. Make sure that the “Made in America” stamp is visible on not only your products, but also your marketing materials. For example, consider placing that label right in the header of your company website. The moment that people land on your home page, they are clearly going to see that you are committed to manufacturing right here in the US. Keep in mind that there are an increasing number of vendors who only want to sell US-made products, so track those guys down and make them aware of your stance.

2. Remind consumers of the importance of local jobs.

   While major corporations are outsourcing jobs to foreign interests, there are still businesses determined to put Americans to work. If your business is among that group, you need to remind consumers that you are part of the unemployment solution in this country. It’s easy to look at a small US business that employs less than 10 people as not being a great help in creating local jobs, but you need to look at the bigger picture. That business will deal with suppliers and other companies that are committed to the “Made in America” cause. Once you start connecting those businesses together, it becomes clear that 1 business with a small workforce is actually connected to a group of hundreds, or potentially thousands, of other locally employed folks. It is important that your stress your role in this movement when talking to consumers.

3. Get creative in your all-American marketing.

   There is a company called Seedling Kids in Ohio that is committed to the “Made in America” brand. They make garments for kids, but take their marketing efforts to the next level by getting creative with the hand-tags on their products. Those tags contain seeds and flowers that are native to Ohio, and which can be planted by the people who buy their products. This is smart, because it gives you a clear idea of what the company is all about, while also positively reinforcing the “Made in America” brand.

4. Prove that American-made products are better.

   People need a reason to spend their hard-earned money beyond just supporting the “Made in America” cause. Imagine for a moment that you need a new custom-made dress shirt for an upcoming special event. The need for this shirt slipped your mind and you now have to get your hands on one in a couple of days. You are simply not going to get that shirt from a company based overseas, whereas a US-based business can get it to you within a matter of days. These are the types of conveniences that need to be highlighted in your marketing efforts.

5. Make your business personal by telling stories about the people who work for you.

   Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter can be a truly effective tool in your quest to get your “Made in America” message out to the masses. Besides being able to clearly show that you are committed to manufacturing in the States, as we showed in point #1, you can also take time to explain why you chose to go this route. Perhaps you have a story about the creation of your business that is sure to tug at the heartstrings of the average patriotic American. Even if that is not the case, there are people who work for you that may have a story of their own. Take to social media and tell these stories. Show how committed you and your employees are to staying and working in the US, which may well be more than enough to convince consumers that buying American is the only way to go.

 

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If you want to support companies that do business in the United States, you may need to do a little more research than simply looking at the company name. While many jobs are leaving our country, there are still many major corporations committed to bringing new job opportunities within our borders. It may come as a surprise to learn that these companies were not founded in the U.S. Many are foreign manufacturers looking to make an impact on one of the largest consumer markets in the world, which is why it is so important to focus less on the company and more on the location.

One of the more common industries where you will see this happen is with the automotive industry. When you think of American vehicles, you very often think of Ford, yet the vehicle you buy may have been made somewhere other than in the U.S. Ford Motor Company has a plant in Mexico, so there is a very real possibility that your Ford vehicle is not quite as American as you think. While Ford are still committed to remaining an American company, they also move operations to other regions they want to make an impact in.

Similarly, you might look at Kia Motors and decide that you cannot support them because they are a company from South Korea. What you may not know is that they operate a massive production plant right here in West Point, Georgia. Not only does this company provide high-paying jobs locally, they are also very active in the community, which is why they need to be considered the next time you are thinking about buying a new car. Being founded in another country is not necessarily a guarantee that they do nothing to help the American community.

One thing that you do need to keep an eye out for in these situations is the products that are actually made here. While Kia does operate that massive Georgia plant, they do not make every single model at that facility. The Sorento and the Optima are the vehicles that are made at that facility, and to this point, more than a million vehicles have rolled off the production line. The success of this company in recent years is a sign that the work being done here in the United States at the Georgia facility is of the highest quality.

The example that we have provided here may help you understand why a vehicle made by a foreign manufacturer may cost less than one made by an American company, and it all comes down to location. The Kia vehicle that was made here in the United States may end up costing less than a similar Ford model made in Mexico. This proves that there is more to a company than simply the name. As in real estate, location is everything, so keep that in mind when you are thinking about making purchases that help the American economy and bring manufacturing jobs back to America.

 

 

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Every July 4^th, we gather together to eat, drink, set off fireworks, and show our patriotism towards the country that we love. Independence Day in the United States is one of the best days of the year, as it’s one where we can all reflect on the freedoms that we have in this great nation. Underneath all the pomp and circumstance lies a problem that most people are simply not aware of, which is that we are perhaps not as independent as we believe. We are not talking about civil rights here, but rather the position that we are currently in when it comes to trading with other countries.

Over the course of the last couple of decades, production and manufacturing jobs formerly held in the U.S. have been heading overseas at an alarming rate. It is tough, although certainly not impossible, for companies to compete with the costs of running a business overseas, which is why so many have chosen profits and sustainability over keeping jobs at home. It is not just the employment rates that have suffered due to this seismic shift, as the trade deficit that we currently have with other countries is very much tipping in their favor.

We are now in a position where we have become too dependent on other nations for the items that we need on a daily basis. This situation puts those other countries in a position of power when it comes to set prices for these items. Since they are well aware that those items cannot be produced here, they essentially hold the country, and the consumers who live here, over a barrel. The sad news is that the average consumer blames the companies who provide these services, blaming them of price gouging, when in fact they are forced to charge more because of the cost of importing products and services.

This is an issue that even extends all the way to our military personnel. You would imagine that all the items used by our military and sourced and manufactured in our own country, but that is not the case. When you consider the massive amounts of money spent on running the military, think about how much extra money is being shelled out to cover the cost of items that need to be imported from locations that lie outside our own borders.

All of these things have a trickle-down effect that usually negatively impact the consumer. You are forced to pay more for products and services that we need to get from other parts of the world. While there are certainly some items that we will never be able to fully make at home, there are plenty more that can be manufactured domestically. This is why buying American made products is so important, as it can begin to shift that trade deficit a little more in our favor. This is something to seriously consider the next time you go to make a purchase and see that “Made in America” label.

We also need to consider our vulnerability to foreign countries who provide us with essentials products and raw materials such as steel. Our military can also be compromised because a lot of things they require to operate come from abroad. In the case of a military conflict, access to these items could be restricted and may limit our ability to defend ourselves effectively. In order for American companies to be able to produce things here in America, we as consumers need to support them buy buying their products made here in the USA.

Only when we lose our dependence on foreign countries for the essential items we need can we truly celebrate our independence.

 

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It has been more than 15 years since China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), yet in that time, they have failed to make good on the trade-liberalizing commitments they made in order to have their membership approved. Their reluctance to follow through on those promises has had a negative impact on economic growth and health of innovative industries in both the United States and Europe. China made 9 specific commitments that they have not followed through on, and they are:

1. Refraining from requiring technology transfer as a condition of market access

One of the main stipulations of the WTO accession agreement that the Chinese signed was that they would not tie foreign investment or market access to technology transfer, yet it is a practice that still regularly takes place. Many companies still need to hand over their technology before they can do business in China.

2. Significantly reducing intellectual property (IP) theft and violations

China was required to recognize the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) when they became part of the WTO. This agreement is in place to protects patents, trademarks, copyrights, industrial designs, service marks, digital content, and all other forms of property. Numbers in the IP Commission Reports on the theft of U.S. Intellectual Property clearly show that China is responsible for as much as 80% of such thefts from businesses in the States, a figure that adds up to roughly $300 billion annually in lost sales.

3. Substantially reducing production and/or export subsidies

When China joined the WTO, they clearly stated that their government would eliminate, or at least greatly reduce, production and export subsidies. Since then, the Chinese have handed out subsidies in excess of $115 billion to just 4 industries: glass and glass products, auto parts, steel, and paper. Just imagine how much money has been subsidized if you take all the other industries into account.

4. Liberalizing foreign film distribution

When the agreement was made to allow China into the WTO, they agreed that they would allow 20 films to be imported on a revenue-sharing basis over the next 3 years following their admission. The joint ventures were set to include sound recording, videos, and software entertainment, as well as allowing for the owning and operation of movie theaters. As you may have already guessed, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) reports that all such entertainment entering China does so on a flat-fee basis as opposed to the agreed up revenue-sharing model.

5. Joining the Government Procurement Agreement

Another part of their inclusion into the WTO was that China would immediately join the Government Procurement Agreement, which is in place to have restrictions on government purchases between member nations. No such credible offer has yet been made.

6. Requiring state-owned enterprises to make purchases based on commercial considerations

Another item that China agreed to was that their state-owned and state-invested enterprises would buy and sell with commercial considerations as the basis for each transaction. In short, they agreed to purchase the best tools for the job without ever favoring a particular vendor or nation. They have continually gone against this agreement by simply refusing to allow those state-owned enterprises from buying products made or developed in the United States.

7. Giving foreign banks national treatment

Part of their membership to the WTO required China to treat foreign banks just as they would national entities within 5 years of admission. To this day, it appears as though China has not fully implemented all of the commitments required within this particular agreement, with national banks still being given an advantage over the foreign branches.

8. Opening the telecommunications market to foreign producers

China committed to several things in the telecommunications industry, including to allowing foreign suppliers to use whatever technology they deemed fit to deliver services, the implantation of pro-competitive regulations, and the liberalization of foreign investments. Things have not gone to plan, though, with USTR finding that China essentially forced foreign companies into joint ventures with Chinese-based firms, while also implementing incredibly high capital requirements. The end result is that foreign suppliers are not granted even the most basic access into the Chinese telecommunications market.

9. Abiding by the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement and not manipulating technology standards

Members of the WTO abide by the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, which states that no member can use certifications and standards as a means to block trade. While China agreed to this agreement to gain access to the WTO, they have once again failed to live up to their end of the bargain, instead opting to develop indigenous technology standards as a building block in their strategy for economic growth.

The question now is about what can be done to mend these broken promises?

The bad news here is that the WTO enforcement system is simply not strong enough for them to take action. Furthermore, a weak WTO settlement system means that China continually goes unpunished for their infractions.

The best way forward would appear to be for the U.S. and European policymakers to get a little more creative in their confrontation methods when dealing with China. Rather than focusing on the legal process, they need to instead create a results based process that will effectively hold the Chinese to task for their broken promises.

 

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Watch the average American sitcom and you will get the idea that dads are wise men who are always there with answer to every problem their children face. The TV dad is a caricature of the real thing, but most kids will tell you that their father is indeed the hero they need in their life. It is often mother’s who get the majority of the love, and deservedly so, but it’s always nice to give dad’s their due, which we do every Father’s Day, which falls on the third Sunday in June in the United States. You may well be wondering how this celebration began, and how you can best wish your dad a happy Father’s Day.

In Europe, the history of Father’s Day stretches all the way back to the Middle Ages, but here in the U.S. it did not take hold until the 20^th century. The history of Father’s Day is rather sad, as it all began in 1908 in West Virginia after a major mining disaster killed over 350 men, 250 of whom were dads. Grace Golden Clayton lost her father in the disaster and asked that her church remember the men who were lost at the next service, which they did. It was an event that had local appeal, bur which did not register anywhere else in the country.

It took a little more time for Father’s Day to be officially recognized in the United States, with Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane playing a major role in establishing the holiday. She began the celebration in June, 1910 to honor her father, a Civil War veteran who single-handedly raised his 6 children. Bills were eventually introduced to Congress to make the holiday official, but it wasn’t until 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson spoke at a Father’s Day event in Spokane, that the movement gained some ground.

The idea was shot down for fear that the day would become too commercialized, but after another few failed attempts, Father’s Day as we know it now was signed into being by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966. It became a permanent feature in 1972 under President Richard Nixon. Now that you know how much effort was put into creating a special day for your dad, you probably now understand the importance of honoring the most important man in your life.