2 min read- Brad Reese, grandson of the Reese’s creator, slammed The Hershey Company earlier this year for cost-cutting with inferior ingredients.
- Social media users overwhelmingly agreed that the product quality is a far cry from the original recipe.
- In response, Hershey promised to bring back the classic formulas and improve other treats in its portfolio.
Seemingly overnight, the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup went from a nationally beloved candy to the poster child for corporate enshittification. After Brad Reese, the grandson of the treat’s founder, slammed the brand’s declining quality, fans started calling The Hershey Company’s business decisions into question. And apparently, the bullying worked, because the company is officially backtracking.
In case you missed it, Brad Reese posted a series of viral social media posts back in February, accusing the candy company of cutting corners. He argued that The Hershey Company swapped out his grandfather’s original ingredients for lower-quality substitutes. Specifically, he cited using a vegetable oil-based compound instead of milk chocolate and a peanut butter-flavored crème in lieu of “real” peanut butter.
The accusations started a firestorm, with the Reese family infighting, sinking stock prices, and public opinion souring towards one of the nation’s most popular candies. The Hershey Company initially pushed back, saying the original peanut butter cups remain the same, but acknowledged that it made some “recipe adjustments” to other Reese’s products. That admission, naturally, did not win over consumers.
“Hershey’s chocolate is inedible,” one Reddit user noted. “Gave it up years ago.” Another said they used to love Reese’s, but now “they are greasy, nasty reminders of better days.”
Others accused The Hershey Company of ruining the Reese’s recipe to maximize profits for shareholders. One user asked, “How hard is it for companies to make their products with actual ingredients?” Someone else wrote, “It seems like their offerings are a continual science experiment to see how much filler wax (or otherwise) the market will tolerate.”
It’s clear the candy maker crossed that tolerance threshold, so now it’s trying to win back consumers. The Hershey Company just announced that it’s switching back to the classic recipe for all Reese’s products, not just the cups. Starting in 2027, everything from mini Easter eggs to Christmas trees will be made with higher-quality milk and dark chocolate formulas.
What’s more, the company plans to increase its research and development funding by 25 percent next year to broaden its candy portfolio. Consumers can also expect changes such as an enhanced KitKat recipe and a shift to natural colors across the brand’s lineup.
“Hershey is committed to making products consumers love and that means continually reviewing our recipes to meet evolving tastes and preferences,” the company said in a statement.
Will that be enough goodwill to win customers back? Only time will tell. What we do know is that Brad Reese is probably feeling pretty vindicated right now.