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 starting in 2027, reversing recipe changes that drew criticism from the grandson of Reese’s founder.
The company said some items — including certain mini seasonal candies — had been made with a coating that contains less chocolate. Hershey plans to convert those items back to their traditional milk or dark chocolate formulations next year.
The maker, based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, also said it will transition its sweets to natural colors, make KitKat creamier, and boost 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 decision follows a public letter posted on LinkedIn by Brad Reese, the grandson of H.B. Reese, who founded the company that created Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. In the Valentine’s Day letter, Brad Reese questioned why Hershey had “quietly replacing the very ingredients (Milk Chocolate + Peanut Butter) that built Reese’s trust in the first place.”
Hershey acknowledged it had made some recipe adjustments in recent years as it pursued new product innovations. High cocoa prices have also prompted confectioners, including Hershey, to experiment with formulations that use less chocolate.
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 eventually sold the Reese company to Hershey in 1963.