The Hershey Company to Revert Chocolate Recipes Amid Consumer Backlash
In a surprising turn, The Hershey Company has announced plans to revert several of its classic chocolate brands to their original recipes next year. This decision affects roughly 3 percent of its Reese’s products, aiming to address consumer dissatisfaction with recent recipe changes and the inclusion of chocolate alternatives.
South Dakota resident Hyacinth Moya reminisces about her fondness for Kit Kats during her youth. “Kit Kats, I have literally eaten them my whole life,” she recalls. However, she notes a change in the chocolate’s texture, describing it as “waxy” and not the same as before.
Philip Dennison from Minnesota shares a similar sentiment, lamenting the altered flavor profiles of popular brands. “It’s kind of the big name brands here in the U.S. under like Mars and Hershey’s,” he says, expressing disappointment over the loss of nostalgic flavors.
Julia Alvarado, a self-proclaimed chocoholic from California, finds herself avoiding Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, a long-time favorite, due to recent changes in taste.
In response to these concerns, Hershey plans to include more cocoa, the essential ingredient in chocolate, in its products. However, the global cocoa market has faced challenges, with climate change and production issues in West Africa causing price fluctuations. Despite a recent price drop, candy manufacturers who purchase cocoa in advance are still affected.
According to Richard Hartel, a food science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the candy industry is driven by profits. “As the cost of ingredients go up, they have got to figure out ways to either reduce costs or raise prices,” he explains.
A New York Times investigation revealed that several major chocolate brands have reduced the cocoa content in their products, leading to changes in labeling from “milk chocolate” to “chocolate candy” or “chocolate tea.” The FDA requires milk chocolate to contain at least 10 percent chocolate liquor, made from cocoa beans.
Hartel notes that palm kernel oil is often used as a substitute for cocoa butter, providing similar properties. He mentions that in taste tests, many people, including his food science students, cannot distinguish between high-quality compound coatings and real chocolate.
Brad Reese, grandson of H.B. Reese, the creator of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, criticizes the use of “inferior, cheap ingredients.” His dissatisfaction heightened when he discovered the absence of “milk chocolate” on the wrapper of Reese’s Peanut Butter Mini Hearts, prompting him to voice his concerns on LinkedIn.
The Hershey Company, in a written statement to “PBS News Hour,” stated, “Hershey is committed to making products consumers love. And that means continually reviewing recipes to meet evolving tastes and preferences.”
Although some like Alvarado remain hopeful for the return of quality, she acknowledges the importance of prioritizing consumer loyalty. As she puts it, “I just kind of wish that companies prioritized quality over course in a lot of situations, because you’re going to lose the loyalty.”
Original Story at www.pbs.org