The grandson of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups creator H.B. Reese is publicly criticizing The Hershey Company, accusing the candy giant of changing core ingredients in some Reese's products in ways he says undermine the brand's legacy.
Brad Reese, whose grandfather invented the iconic candy in 1928, said the company has moved away from using traditional milk chocolate and peanut butter in certain items, replacing them with alternative formulations like chocolate-style coatings and peanut butter crème.
In an open letter shared on LinkedIn, Reese questioned how Hershey could continue marketing Reese's as a symbol of quality while making ingredient changes that he believes contradict the original product.
"How does The Hershey Company 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 a separate post he wrote, "Reese's didn't become iconic because of compound coatings and peanut butter cremes. Reese's became iconic because my grandfather built it on real ingredients and real integrity."
H.B. Reese founded his own candy company after previously working for Hershey, and his family eventually sold the business to Hershey in 1963. Since then, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups have grown into one of the company's most recognizable and profitable brands.
Brad Reese said his concerns intensified after trying newer seasonal products, including heart-shaped Valentine's Day candies labeled as containing "chocolate candy" and peanut butter crème rather than traditional milk chocolate and peanut butter.
"It was not edible," he told The Associated Press. "You have to understand. I used to eat a Reese's product every day. This is very devastating for me."
He also claims other Reese's items, including certain candy bars and international versions of the product, have undergone similar ingredient changes over time.
Hershey, however, pushed back on the criticism, saying the original Reese's Peanut Butter Cups remain unchanged and emphasizing that recipe adjustments are sometimes made to support new product variations.
"As we've grown and expanded the Reese's product line, we make product recipe adjustments that allow us to create new shapes, sizes, and innovations that fans have come to love," the company said in a statement, adding that it protects the signature combination of chocolate and peanut butter that defines the brand.
Industry experts note that rising cocoa costs in recent years have led some manufacturers to explore alternative ingredients or coatings in certain products. Federal regulations also distinguish between products labeled "milk chocolate" and those labeled more generally as "chocolate candy," depending on their cocoa content.
