Grandson of Reese’s Creator Slams Hershey.
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are seen in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
The grandson of the inventor of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups is criticizing the Hershey Co., claiming the candy giant has weakened the Reese’s brand by using cheaper ingredients in some products. Hershey confirmed some recipe changes but said Wednesday it was responding to consumer demand for new products, according to the AP. Rising cocoa prices have also led Hershey and other candy makers to reduce chocolate content in recent years.
Brad Reese, 70, wrote in a Feb. 14 letter to Hershey’s corporate brand manager that several Reese’s items have replaced milk chocolate with compound coatings and peanut butter with peanut creme.
“How does the Hershey Co. continue to position Reese’s as its flagship brand, a symbol of trust, quality, and leadership, while quietly replacing the very ingredients … that built Reese’s trust in the first place?” Reese asked.
Brad Reese is the grandson of HB Reese, who worked at Hershey for two years before starting his own candy company in 1919. HB Reese created Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in 1928, and his six sons sold the company to Hershey in 1963.
Hershey said Wednesday that Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are still made with milk chocolate and peanut butter crafted from roasted peanuts and a few other ingredients, including sugar and salt.
The company acknowledged that some other Reese’s products have varied ingredients. “As we’ve grown and expanded the Reese’s product line, we make product recipe adjustments that allow us to make new shapes, sizes, and innovations that Reese’s fans have come to love and ask for, while always protecting the essence of what makes Reese’s unique and special,” Hershey said.
Brad Reese said he recently discarded a bag of Reese’s Mini Hearts, a Valentine’s Day product. The packaging described them as made from “chocolate candy and peanut butter creme” rather than milk chocolate and peanut butter. “It was not edible,” Reese said.
The FDA has strict standards for chocolate labeling. Milk chocolate must contain at least 10% chocolate liquor, 12% milk solids, and 3.39% milk fat. Companies can use alternative wording on packaging to bypass these rules—Hershey’s Mr. Goodbar wrapper, for example, says “chocolate candy” instead of milk chocolate.
“I absolutely believe in innovation, but my preference is innovation with quality,” Reese said.
About Post Author
