Snack Foods

The Hershey Company Showcases ‘Better-For-You’ Portfolio

Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups will be available this month. Image courtesy of The Hershey Company

Hershey's Plant Based Extra Creamy with Almonds and Sea Salt will be available in April. Image courtesy of The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company is displaying a number of "Better-for-You" products at Natural Products Expo West, including permissible salty snacks, protein, no-sugar-added, zero-sugar and plant-based products, on the heels of the just announced nationwide launch of Hershey’s Plant Based and the new addition of Reese’s Plant Based.

“We have a vision to become a Leading Snacking Powerhouse,” says Jeff Lilla, vice president of sales, Hershey Salty Snacks, The Hershey Company. “To achieve this goal, we are continually evolving our sweet and salty portfolio to offer consumers more choices for more occasions, and we hope to reach a broader audience as the demand for better-for-you products increases.”

This week, Hershey announced the nationwide launch of Hershey’s Plant Based and the new addition of Reese’s Plant Based. The company’s latest treats made with dairy alternatives include Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups (available this month) and Hershey’s Plant Based Extra Creamy with Almonds and Sea Salt (available in April).

“We’re excited to serve a new subsegment of better-for-you consumers with our extension into plant-based chocolate products with two of our most beloved, iconic brands,” saysTeal Liu, brand manager of better-for-you marketing, The Hershey Company. “It’s our aim that no matter what better-for-you means to you, there’s a Hershey confection ready to meet your moment.”

For consumers who are looking to reduce sugar, The Hershey Company relaunched its sugar-free line in 2021 with new branding and packtypes. The Hershey Company also acquired Lily’s in 2021, which specializes in no-added sugar chocolate, baking chips and gummies made with Stevia, an alternative sweetener.

Protein is also a key focus. Since acquiring protein-bar maker ONE Brands in 2019, Hershey has introduced various new ONE Brands bars, including the recent launch of ONE PLANT bars, marrying plant-based and protein in one with 12g of plant-based protein in each bar. The ONE PLANT bars are available in three flavors—Banana Nut Bread, Churro and Chocolate Cookie Dough.

In the permissible snacking category, The Hershey Company retains longtime favorites SkinnyPop and Pirate’s Booty and recently acquired Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels.

Pirate’s Booty Crunch Attack! Great-White Cheddar also launched earlier this year. Featuring the same baked, never fried, puffed rice and corn snack made with real aged white cheddar cheese, this innovation includes an added “crunch.”