Elevated risk U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Wegmans Semi-sweet Chocolate recall: Undeclared milk allergen

Recall published 1+ years ago

Undeclared milk allergen

Wegmans Candy & chocolate — recalled candy & chocolateWegmans Candy & chocolate — recalled candy & chocolate (photo 2)Wegmans Candy & chocolate — recalled candy & chocolate (photo 3)
3 photos published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the recall notice.

The hazard: Undeclared milk

An undeclared allergen — milk — is the whole reason for this notice. The food itself is not spoiled or contaminated.

What the notice says: People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product with the lot codes shown below.

Why it matters: The label does not declare milk, so anyone who reads labels to avoid it has no way of knowing it is in there. For people without that allergy the product is safe to eat.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

An undeclared allergen is a danger only to people allergic or intolerant to that ingredient. For everyone else the food is safe. Reactions range from an itchy mouth, hives, stomach cramps or vomiting through to anaphylaxis — swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, a tight chest, wheezing, a sudden drop in blood pressure or collapse. If anaphylaxis is suspected, use an epinephrine auto-injector straight away and call 911, even if the symptoms seem to settle, because a second wave can follow hours later.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Published
June 25, 2025
Risk level
Elevated risk
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
Wegmans
Product type
Candy & chocolate
Distribution
Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington
Sold at
Wegmans
UPC codes
077890497876
Reports of harm
No illnesses have been reported to date.

Products covered by this recall

Semi-sweet Chocolate

What the company announced

Mellace Family Brands California, Inc. of Warren, OH is recalling Wegmans Semi – Sweet Chocolate Nonpareils, because they contain undeclared milk allergen. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product with the lot codes shown below.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

This product was distributed through Wegmans retail stores in Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington D.C.

The product is packaged in a plastic tub labeled Wegmans Semi-Sweet Chocolate Nonpareils 18.5oz (1LB 2.5OZ) 524g, UPC 0 77890 49787 6, SCC 10077890497873.

Best By and Lot code are located on the left side of the tub.

The affected lot codes are:

55021 BEST BY: DEC 28, 2025

55031 BEST BY: DEC 29, 2025

55491 BEST BY: FEB 13, 2026

55501 BEST BY: FEB 14, 2026

56061 BEST BY: APR 11, 2026

56071 BEST BY: APR 12, 2026

The recall was initiated after it was discovered that Wegmans Semi-Sweet Chocolate Nonpareils contained a milk allergen and was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of milk. This Subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by a temporary breakdown in the suppliers’ manufacturing process.

Consumers who have purchased Wegmans Semi-Sweet Chocolate Nonpareils 18.5oz (1LB 2.5OZ) 524g with the above lot codes are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Customers with questions can contact Wegmans Food Markets at 1-855-934-3663 daily from 8:00 AM through 8:00 PM EST.

Reproduced from the company announcement posted on fda.gov. Links and contact forms in the original are not repeated here; the official notice below has them.

Check your product

The notice names 10 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

UPC / barcode

Read the twelve digits under the barcode on the package.

  • 077890497876

Best-by / use-by date

Printed beside the lot code, not on the price sticker.

  • DEC 28
  • 2025 55031 BEST BY
  • FEB 13
  • 2026 55501 BEST BY
  • APR 11
  • 2026 56071 BEST BY

Package size

Match the net weight or the piece count on the front of the pack.

  • 18.5 oz
  • 1 LB
  • 2.5 OZ

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Company recall announcements notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Milk

Wegmans — An undeclared allergen — milk — is the whole reason for this notice. The food itself is not spoiled or contaminated.

  1. If anyone in your household avoids milk, stop serving the product immediately and check whether any was used in food already prepared.
  2. Keep the pack if you want a refund, or photograph the label and the lot code and then bin it. If nobody in the house avoids milk, you may simply eat it — the recall is about disclosure, not spoilage.
  3. Make sure the household epinephrine auto-injector is where it should be and in date, if someone here carries one.
  4. If a reaction has already happened, report it to the FDA through its consumer complaint coordinator so the case is attached to this recall.

Refunds, and what else you can claim

The purchase price is the floor, not the ceiling. Where a recall caused you a real cost, say so.

  • Claim the refund at the store first; it is the fastest route and needs the least paperwork.
  • If you bought several packs over time, list them. Firms routinely settle for more than a single unit when a customer asks.
  • Medical costs, lost earnings or a spoiled event are not handled at the service desk. Write to the company contact on this page instead, with dates and documents.
  • Keep copies of everything you send. If a recall caused harm, that file is what any later claim rests on.

Remedy named in the notice: Consumers who have purchased Wegmans Semi-Sweet Chocolate Nonpareils 18.5oz (1LB 2.5OZ) 524g with the above lot codes are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Company contact: Mellace Family Brands California, Inc. — Consumers: Wegmans Food Markets, 1-855-934-3663

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the FDA — Company recall announcements record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Wegmans candy & chocolate recalled?

Undeclared milk allergen People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product with the lot codes shown below.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: UPC 077890497876; best-by date DEC 28 or 2025 55031 BEST BY. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

What should I do with it right now?

If anyone in your household avoids milk, stop serving the product immediately and check whether any was used in food already prepared.

Can I get my money back?

The notice says: Consumers who have purchased Wegmans Semi-Sweet Chocolate Nonpareils 18.5oz (1LB 2.5OZ) 524g with the above lot codes are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Which states were affected?

The notice lists Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington.

Related recalls