Latest from Food Politics: Sweet thought for the weekend: Reese's v. Hershey's

This story starts here with this post. Really? When I go to the Hershey’s site, I get this: Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Milk Fat, Lactose, Lecithin, PGPR); Peanuts; Sugar; Dextrose; Salt; TBHQ & Citric Acid (TO MAINTAIN ...

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By Marion Nestle March 06 2026 Sweet thought for the weekend: Reese’s v. Hershey’s This story starts here with this post. Really? When I go to the Hershey’s site, I get this: Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Milk Fat, Lactose, Lecithin, PGPR); Peanuts; Sugar; Dextrose; Salt; TBHQ & Citric Acid (TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS) Four kinds of sugar and ultra-processed; it’s hard to believe it could get worse. Even so, the Reese family doesn’t like what is happening to its iconic brand. Hershey blasted by Reese’s family over core ingredient changes: Reese family sends open letter to Hershey, challenging whether the confectionery giant is protecting the Reese’s legacy… Read more Hershey facing criticism from Reese family Reese family member accuses Hershey of lowering core product quality Brad Reese claims formulations replaced milk chocolate and real peanut butter Open letter argues changes threaten brand heritage and consumer trust foundations Criticism pressures Hershey to address transparency concerns amid evolving brand strategy Debate highlights tension between cost efficiencies and protecting long-held product identity Comment As described in yesterday’s post, the chocolate industry is in trouble because of diminishing supplies, increased costs, and climate change.  Hershey’s must think its customers can’t tell the difference between simple real food ingredients and ultra-processed concoctions. Real foods cost more.  That’s a problem for food companies. The post Sweet thought for the weekend: Reese’s v. Hershey’s appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle      Related Posts Keeping up with chocolate; the crisis and what to do about it   Now Available: What to Eat Now My new book, What to Eat Now, is officially out! It's both a field guide to food shopping in America and a reflection on how to eat well—and deliciously. For more information and to order, click here. You can explore the full archive of this (almost) daily blog at foodpolitics.com, where you'll also find information about my books, articles, media interviews, upcoming lectures, favorite resources, and FAQs. Visit the Site » ​​​​​​​ Marion Nestle Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, Emerita © Marion Nestle. You're receiving this email because you've signed up to receive updates from us. If you'd prefer not to receive updates, you can unsubscribe. Safely Unsubscribe • Archives • Preferences • Contact • Subscribe • Privacy

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Latest from Food Politics: Keeping up with chocolate; the crisis and what to do about it

The chocolate industry, it appears, is in crisis.   Here’s my collection of recent items on the topic.   Trends The future of chocolate: An era of bold innovation and ultra indulgence: Chocolate is undergoing a dramatic transformation. From ...

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By Marion Nestle March 05 2026 Keeping up with chocolate; the crisis and what to do about it The chocolate industry, it appears, is in crisis.  Here’s my collection of recent items on the topic.   Trends The future of chocolate: An era of bold innovation and ultra indulgence: Chocolate is undergoing a dramatic transformation. From cutting‑edge cocoa‑free innovation to the rise of premium indulgence, discover how makers and brands are reinventing the world’s favourite treat… Read more 5 trends powering chocolate’s $245bn boom: Trends shaping the future of chocolate and the opportunities they create for the confectionery industry… Read more Mars, Mondelēz, Nestlé, Hershey, and Lindt team up to transform future of cocoa: The world’s biggest chocolate makers are working together to futureproof cocoa and support growers… Read more Challenges Chocolate isn’t doomed, but it’s changing fast:  It may be the end of chocolate as we know it… Read more Cocoa prices collapse following record highs: Cocoa prices plunge to two‑year low as surpluses reshape the market… Read more Are falling cocoa prices giving an edge to small choc players?  Key players in chocolate already have the year’s cocoa supply locked in. But smaller players may not… Read more Nestlé strips ‘chocolate’ from iconic bars as cocoa costs soar:  Rising cocoa costs are forcing confectionery giants to rethink recipes and product labelling… Read more Cocoa, coffee, and wine won’t survive with climate cooling alone: Climate cooling isn’t enough to save cocoa, wine, and coffee – industry needs to do more to protect these crops for the future… Read more Is Hershey in trouble? Profits plummeting and ingredients under fire: Hershey’s rocky start to 2026 has raised questions about its long‑term direction… Read more Addressing the crisis Alternative cocoa: Ways confectionery’s most under-threat ingredient is being replaced: Chocolate makers has been significantly impacted by the cocoa crisis. Ingredient innovation offers a solution… Read more The ‘untapped potential’ of functional chocolate: Functional chocolate is stepping into the spotlight. Discover the ingredients, trends and early innovators reshaping the future of indulgence… Read more Can Chocolate Help With Asthma? Hemorrhoids? Feminine Hygiene? December 16 is National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day, which is either a celebration of culinary creativity or an excuse to use juvenile humor. Either way, chocolate has a long history of being marketed as a cure for just about everything. Let’s see what it can actually do—and what it absolutely can’t. The post Keeping up with chocolate; the crisis and what to do about it appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle       Now Available: What to Eat Now My new book, What to Eat Now, is officially out! It's both a field guide to food shopping in America and a reflection on how to eat well—and deliciously. For more information and to order, click here. You can explore the full archive of this (almost) daily blog at foodpolitics.com, where you'll also find information about my books, articles, media interviews, upcoming lectures, favorite resources, and FAQs. Visit the Site » ​​​​​​​ Marion Nestle Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, Emerita © Marion Nestle. You're receiving this email because you've signed up to receive updates from us. If you'd prefer not to receive updates, you can unsubscribe. Safely Unsubscribe • Archives • Preferences • Contact • Subscribe • Privacy

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