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Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have long been considered the most popular candy among American consumers. But in recent years, some fans of the confection have claimed that something just doesn’t seem right.
Now, it appears that they may well be onto something.
Brad Reese, the 70-year-old grandson of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups creator H.B. Reese, recently wrote a letter to the candy’s manufacturer, Hershey, complaining that the company is cutting corners and ruining the product.
H.B. Reese worked for Hershey for two years before creating his own candy company in 1919. His six sons later sold that company to Hershey in 1963.
But Brad still has a bone to pick with the company.
Brad Reese Isn’t Happy With Hershey Altering Iconic Peanut Butter Cups
“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 an open letter to Hershey executive Todd Scott, which he posted on his LinkedIn profile.
Among the many allegations from Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup lovers in recent years is that Hershey uses different types of peanut butter for its original product than it does for its miniature, individually wrapped cup.
At the same time, Reese’s, via Hershey, has paired with several other snack brands, such as Oreo, to create different versions of the famed peanut butter cup, all while the quality of the original comes into question.
“Right now, the REESE’S story is diverging from what’s inside REESE’S products. And that divergence puts REESE’S and the legacy behind it, at risk” Brad Reese continued in his letter. “As the grandson of the man who created REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups, I’m not asking for nostalgia. I’m asking for alignment. For truth in REESE’S brand stewardship. For a corporate narrative from The Hershey Company that reflects the REESE’S product consumers are actually receiving.”
Ultimately, Hershey owns the brand, so it can do as it pleases. But it may well cost itself the trust and hard-earned money of longtime customers in the process.