Hershey Food Hall expands with diverse local vendors

The Food Hall at Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square in downtown Hershey has become a hub for locally owned, chef-driven businesses serving cuisines from Korea to the Caribbean. The expansion underscores how a small Central Pennsylvania market is drawing a wider mix of food entrepreneurs and giving shoppers more dining options on the upper level of the 25,000-square-foot site.

Why it matters: - The Food Hall is giving Central Pennsylvania shoppers a broader range of independently owned dining options in one place. - The mix of vendors shows growing diversity among local food businesses in a market of this size. - The Food Hall adds more foot traffic and more reasons for visitors to spend time at Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square.

What happened: - The Food Hall at Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square on the upper level of the downtown Hershey market has grown into a collection of locally owned, chef-driven food businesses. - The Food Hall operates Thursday through Saturday. - Vendors now serve Korean fried chicken, Vietnamese pho, Japanese teppanyaki, Caribbean cuisine, Greek and Mediterranean dishes, Asian-Latin fusion bao and empanadas, acai bowls, hand-scooped ice cream, and soft pretzels. - The Food Hall also includes a Pennsylvania craft brewery and a local distillery offering small-batch spirits. - Each business in the Food Hall is independently owned and operated.

The details: - Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square is in a 25,000-square-foot building in downtown Hershey. - The market has operated in a building that has served the Hershey community since 1936. - The full list of current Food Hall vendors is available at the Food Hall vendor list. - Updates on new vendors and events are available at Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square. - Food Hall hours are Thursday from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, Friday from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, and Saturday from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. - Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square is a 25,000-square-foot indoor marketplace with more than 40 local vendors across two floors. - The market offers farm-fresh produce, artisan foods, chef-prepared meals and locally crafted goods. - The market holds special events monthly. - Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square is located at 121 Towne Square Drive, Hershey, PA 17033.

Between the lines: - Casey Keshner, marketing director at Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square, said each Food Hall vendor is a small business with its own story. - Keshner said the vendor mix reflects culinary diversity that is not typically found in a market of this size in Central Pennsylvania. - The broader strategy appears to be making the market more of a destination by layering dining, retail and events in one downtown location.

What's next: - Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square is expected to keep adding new vendors and events. - Shoppers can check the market's website for updates on upcoming changes. - The Food Hall's limited Thursday-through-Saturday schedule suggests the market will continue testing demand while building its vendor lineup.