Grandson of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups inventor is in pieces over missing milk chocolate
NBC News • • business
Key Points:
- Brad Reese, grandson of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup inventor H.B. Reese, criticized Hershey’s for replacing milk chocolate with a chocolate-flavored coating in seasonal products like Valentine’s Day Reese’s Mini Hearts, calling the taste "cheap" and "inedible."
- Hershey’s confirmed that some Reese’s product variations use chocolate-flavored coatings instead of real milk chocolate due to FDA regulations and product innovation, though the original Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups recipe remains unchanged.
- The shift to chocolate alternatives is partly driven by rising cocoa prices linked to climate change impacts on West African cocoa production, although prices have recently dropped due to reduced demand and alternative ingredients.
- Brad Reese has publicly challenged Hershey’s formulation changes through letters and his website, expressing
