Grandson of the inventor of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups accuses Hershey of cutting corners

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Category: Business

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. lash out / læʃ aʊt / (phrasal v.) – to suddenly speak, act, or criticize someone or something angrily and strongly
    Example:

    She lashed out at the restaurant for increasing prices and reducing quality.


  2. innovation / ˌɪn əˈveɪ ʃən / (n.) – a new idea, product, or way of doing something that improves or changes what already exists
    Example:

    The owners asked the product development team to bring innovation, hoping to make their products more interesting than their competitors.


  3. position / pəˈzɪʃ ən / (v.) – to show a product, service, or idea so people see it in a certain way or think of it in a specific role or place in the market
    Example:

    The car brand plans to position its new model as the safest, most reliable car for families.


  4. go too far / goʊ tu far / (idiom) – to do or say something in a way that is extreme, unfair, or that makes others unhappy
    Example:

    The company went too far by raising prices without warning customers.


  5. edible / ˈɛd ə bəl / (adj.) – safe or good to eat
    Example:

    Some mushrooms are poisonous, but these are edible.


Article

Read the text below.

The grandson of the inventor of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups has lashed out at The Hershey Co., accusing the candy company of hurting the Reese’s brand by shifting to cheaper ingredients in many products.


Hershey acknowledged some recipe changes but said that it was trying to meet consumer demand for innovation. High cocoa prices have also led Hershey and other manufacturers to experiment with using less chocolate in recent years.


Brad Reese said in a February 14 letter to Hershey’s corporate brand manager that for multiple Reese’s products, the company replaced milk chocolate with compound coatings and peanut butter with peanut crème.


“How does The Hershey Co. continue to position Reese’s as its flagship brand, a symbol of trust, quality, and leadership, while quietly replacing the very ingredients (Milk Chocolate + Peanut Butter) that built Reese’s trust in the first place?” Reese wrote in the letter, which he posted on his LinkedIn profile.


Hershey said that Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are made the same way they always have been, with milk chocolate and peanut butter that the company makes itself from roasted peanuts and a few other ingredients, including sugar and salt. But some Reese’s ingredients vary, Hershey said.


“As we’ve grown and expanded the Reese’s product line, we make product recipe adjustments that allow us to make new shapes, sizes, and innovations that Reese’s fans have come to love and ask for, while always protecting the essence of what makes Reese’s unique and special: the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter,” the company said.


Brad Reese said he thinks Hershey went too far. He said he recently threw out a bag of Reese’s Mini Hearts, which were a new product released for Valentine’s Day. The packaging notes that the heart-shaped candies are made from “chocolate candy and peanut butter crème,” not milk chocolate and peanut butter.


“It was not edible,” Reese told The Associated Press in an interview. “You have to understand. I used to eat a Reese’s product every day. This is very devastating for me.”


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Hershey says it changes some of Reese’s ingredients to create new products and meet customer demand for innovation. Do you think a company can still try new ideas while keeping the original recipe the same? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • For products like Reese’s that have been around for a long time, how important do you think it is to keep the original recipe? Would you accept small changes, or should it stay exactly the same? Why do you say so? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • The article says that high cocoa prices have pushed Hershey to experiment with using less chocolate in some products. If ingredient prices become very expensive, which would you prefer as a customer: paying more to keep the original recipe, or paying less for a slightly different product? Why? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, how should Hershey tell customers about these recipe changes when costs increase? What kind of explanation would make you feel satisfied as a buyer? Discuss.