April 1, 2026 / 12:45 PM EDT / AP
Hershey said Wednesday it will return all Reese’s products to their classic milk- and dark-chocolate recipes beginning in 2027, reversing recent formulation changes that drew public criticism.
The company said some items, including certain mini seasonal candies, had been produced with a coating that contains less chocolate. Those products will be converted back to traditional milk or dark chocolate formulations next year.
In addition to restoring the Reese’s recipes, Hershey said it will move more products to natural colors, make KitKat bars creamier and increase research and development spending by about 25% in 2027.
“Hershey is committed to making products consumers love and that means continually reviewing our recipes to meet evolving tastes and preferences,” the company said in a statement.
The announcement follows a public LinkedIn letter posted on Valentine’s Day by Brad Reese, the grandson of H.B. Reese, who questioned why Hershey had “quietly replacing the very ingredients (Milk Chocolate + Peanut Butter) that built Reese’s trust in the first place.” His post prompted consumer attention and criticism of the changes.
Hershey acknowledged it had adjusted some recipes in recent years as part of new product innovation. The company and other confectioners have also experimented with formulations that use less chocolate amid periods of high cocoa prices.
The Associated Press left a message seeking comment from Brad Reese on Wednesday.
H.B. Reese invented Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in 1928. His sons sold the Reese company to Hershey in 1963.