Can Hershey Lure New Consumers With Plant-Based Reese’s Cups and Chocolate Bars?
Hershey’s newest products will compete with other dairy–free and vegan chocolate and snack brands, as consumers are more willing than ever to go plant-based
As consumers become increasingly health conscious, which has been noticed by the fitness and tech industries, they have also caught the eye of the food and beverage sector.
Along with fitness, consumers have become more discerning about what they eat and drink as they seek to feel their best.
It’s a shift that The Hershey Company has noted — and now the iconic chocolate-maker is introducing plant-based alternatives to some of its staples with a nationwide launch of Hershey’s Plant Based and Reese’s Plant Based.
The chocolatier says its new plant-based options are perfect for those simply looking to limit their dairy intake. The Hershey Company promises its new snack offerings will still feature its signature melt-in-your-mouth experience with a new twist on Hershey’s Plant Based Extra Creamy with Almonds and Sea Salt and Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups.
“We are excited to introduce these delicious, plant-based options,” said Teal Liu, Brand Manager of Better For You, The Hershey Company. “Our purpose is to create more moments of goodness for consumers. Those moments are now more accessible for chocolate lovers looking for plant-based alternatives.”
Hershey says its plant-based offerings meet the changing needs of its snackers and are suitable for vegans. While not every consumer is a devoted vegan, many are considered flexitarians, those who mainly eat a vegetarian or plant-based diet with the occasional inclusion of animal-based products.
According to a report by NPD, Gen Z and Millennials will drive the plant-based market and help it grow through 2024. Adding to that, roughly one in five adults want more plant-based foods in their diets, which has remained steady throughout 2020, according to NPD’s The Future of Plant-based Snapshot: The Evolution of Plant-based Continues.
The plant-based Hershey products officially hit shelves this spring.
In other snack news, Patagonia Provisions, a division of Patagonia, recently acquired Moonshot crackers. The climate-friendly snack brand tackles the climate crisis, growing its wheat using regenerative and organic practices.
