Hershey’s was called out by Reese’s founder’s Grandson for using chocolate alternatives in some of its signature products. And the company abruptly pulled a hard 180, Hershey’s will revert to using ‘Pure Chocolate’ by next year… But Brad Reese remains skeptical. He says, the taste will tell…
Hershey’s Peanut Butter Cups: Just one product which will revert to ‘Pure Milk Chocolate’…
All the big confectionery companies are trying to save money on ingredients – mainly sugar and cocoa. Prices for both have skyrocketed this decade. But Hershey’s was publicly called out for using chocolate ‘alternatives’ in some of its signature products. By no less an authority than the founder’s grandson…
Caught in a vice…
Hershey’s has built its industry-leading brand on the promise of ‘Pure Milk Chocolate’ since 1894. But recently, it started using some ‘adulterants’ to stretch its cocoa-based products. All in the name of saving money on increasingly more-expensive ingredients. Not that Hershey’s is the only chocolate maker doing it. Virtually all confectioners are trying to save money on two key ingredients – cocoa and sugar – which have soared in price over the past 5 years due to a number of causes.
The highest-profile cause has been climate change, putting pressure on cocoa growers in West Africa, where most of the world’s cocoa is produced. But there have also been epidemics of various diseases that ravage not only the annual crops but the plants themselves. That’s a recipe for long-term dam-age to the industry.
Now chocolate makers are caught in a vice, trying to keep costs down to remain competitive – and not scare away fans – while maintaining the quality of their products.
What happened…
Brad Reese trusts his taste buds. For him, being the grandson of the founder of Reese’s comes with not only a literal lifetime of experience with the products but also a responsibility to keep them ‘honest’.
He publicly outed Hershey’s – the current custodian of the Reese’s brand name – back in February for quietly changing its formulae. Brad said he first noticed a difference in the flavour of signature pro-ducts such as Peanut Butter Cups and Kit Kat candy bars. Then realized their labels now read ‘choco-latey’ rather than ‘Pure milk Chocolate’. That was a sure sign Hershey’s was using ‘fillers’ or chocolate ‘alternatives’.
“It didn’t taste like milk chocolate,” Reese told NBC News. “It tasted cheap.”
About face!
Hershey’s – undoubtedly suffering a major embarrassment – pulled a hard u-turn just a month later, announcing plans to ‘fix the problem’. The company says all its signature products will be made with either ‘Pure Milk Chocolate’ or ‘Pure Dark Chocolate’ again by next year.
Brad Reese is still skeptical.
“If this is true, the people who deserve the credit are the loyal fans who were alarmed by what Her-shey was doing,” Reese says. “But I am seeing a lot of red flags here. I think what Hershey is trying to do here is change with PR narrative.”
“If something like the Valentine’s Day Reese’s Mini Heart still doesn’t taste like real milk chocolate next year, I’ll know they’re lying,” he added.
My take
Yes, Brad! Hershey’s is definitely trying to ‘change the PR narrative’. But they appear to be committed to”doing the right thing’.
I’ll be interested to see what happens to the prices of the classic Hershey’s and Reese’s products affected… If they don’t increase significantly, it means Hershey’s is doing something else – perhaps just as nefarious as using fake chocolate – to save money…
~ Maggie J.