Hershey’s said Wednesday that starting next year, all Reese’s products will use classic recipes, a change that comes after the grandson of Reese’s founder criticized the company’s shift to cheaper ingredients.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are always made with real milk or dark chocolate and peanut butter. But a small number of Hershey’s and Reese’s products, such as mini Easter eggs, now have coatings that contain less chocolate.
Hershey said it will transition those products to “their classic milk and dark chocolate recipes” by 2027.
The Hershey, Pa.-based company said it will make other changes to its candy portfolio next year, including a shift to natural colors and revamping the Kit-Kat recipe to make it creamier. The company said it plans to increase research and development funding by 25% next year.
“Hershey’s is committed to making products consumers love, which means constantly reviewing our recipes to meet changing tastes and preferences,” the company said in a statement.
Brad Reese, the grandson of the inventor of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, sparked controversy in an open letter he sent to Hershey’s brand managers on Valentine’s Day.
“How does The Hershey Company continue to position Reese’s flagship brand as a symbol of trust, quality and leadership while quietly replacing the ingredients that originally built Reese’s trust (milk chocolate + peanut butter)?” Reese wrote in the letter, which was posted on his LinkedIn profile.
Hershey acknowledged some changes to the formula but said it is working to meet consumer demand for innovation. High cocoa prices have also led Hershey and other manufacturers to try to use less chocolate in recent years.
The Associated Press left a message with Brad Reese seeking comment Wednesday.
Brad Reese is the grandson of HB Reese, who worked at Hershey for two years before founding his own candy company in 1919. HB Reese invented the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in 1928; His six sons eventually sold the company to the Hershey Company in 1963.
