Overview
- Hershey, which outlined the plan Tuesday at an investor event and in interviews, will shift a limited set of Reese’s and Hershey’s items back to classic milk and dark chocolate by 2027.
- The company says fewer than 3% of Reese’s products are affected, largely items that used compound coatings, which replace cocoa butter with other fats.
- Hershey says recipes for standard Reese’s cups and Hershey bars remain unchanged, while some seasonal candies used chocolate-flavored coatings as cocoa costs climbed.
- The plan also brings natural colors to candies like Reese’s Pieces and Jolly Ranchers, a creamier U.S. Kit Kat recipe, and about 25% more R&D spending next year.
- CEO Kirk Tanner says the review started after he joined in August 2025, while Brad Reese calls the 2027 timeline a PR move and other Reese relatives have distanced themselves from his claims.