Hershey Showcases 125 Years Of Brand Relevance At 2019 Sweets & Snacks Expo

HERSHEY, Pa., May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY), celebrating 125 years as a category management and snacks leader, will spotlight its ongoing commitment to consumer relevance at the National Confectioner’s Association’s 2019 Sweets & Snacks Expo, May 21-23 in Chicago. As Hershey embarks on its next 125 years, visitors to the company’s booth (#1601) can sample new product offerings from Reese’s, Hershey’s and KIT KAT® that spotlight how the company is meeting new snacking occasions and discover actionable snacks retail insights to win over valuable shoppers.

For 125 years, Hershey has endured in the confectionery industry. The innovative snacking powerhouse has transformed the candy aisle experience for shoppers, making products easier to find and more appealing. Hershey also continues to regenerate its power brands with new offerings, including Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Emoji Bars, Reese’s Thins, and KIT KAT® Duos Mint + Dark Chocolate, all of which will be featured at Sweets & Snacks Expo.

“There are two reasons why Hershey has been around for 125 years – enduring company purpose and the cultural relevance of our brands,” said Todd Tillemans, President, U.S., The Hershey Company. “We pride ourselves on being equally competitive and compassionate, investing in communities, people and the snacks of the future. We are driving new snack occasions with offerings like Reese’s Thins, Hershey’s Emoji Bars, and KIT KAT® Duos Mint + Dark Chocolate, and as a result, making more moments of goodness for our consumers.”

Reese’s has been a powerhouse brand for many years and has crested $2 billion in retail sales this year. The company’s new innovation showcases how Reese’s continues to evolve. This year, the Reese’s brand unveiled Reese’s Thins and Reese’s Lovers. Reese’s Thins are 40 percent thinner and individually wrapped for the perfect me-time snack. Reese’s Thins gives Reese’s fans a new choice for snacking and is just one example of how Reese’s is meeting the needs of its consumers and staying relevant. Reese’s Lovers includes two new products – Reese’s Chocolate Lovers and Reese’s Peanut Butter Lovers – giving Reese’s fans more of the taste they love.

For the first time in 125 years, Hershey is changing its individual pips with the new Hershey’s Emoji Bars, helping the company reach parents of Gen Z as they head back to school. The Hershey’s Emoji Bars were created for parents to help their children establish a connection with their peers, and the bars provide them with a fun way to break the ice with classmates, teachers and friends during the back to school time period.

For the first time in almost a decade, a new year-round KIT KAT® flavor will be coming to the U.S. and available nationwide in December 2019. The new KIT KAT® Duos Mint + Dark Chocolate, will feature a mashup of two iconic flavors - mint crème on the top and dark chocolate on the bottom, all surrounding light and crispy wafers.

Shopper Data Helping Drive Trips and Baskets

Hershey is dedicated to assisting all of its retail partners, and for 20 years has helped them understand how to win over the most valuable shoppers to drive trips and build baskets. Hershey’s Retail Snacking Experience Team (ReSET) is using its industry leading shopper insights to support Hershey’s retail partners in creating a better shopper experience, helping both stores and shoppers win. Each year, Hershey’s experts meet with approximately 45 retailers at their Global Customer Insight Center (GCIC). Retailers who work with Hershey outperform the category by +150 BPS of share growth annually. Approximately one-third of these retailers are annual returning customers.

One way that Hershey’s ReSET team continues to lead the way with this shopper data is through its annual “In a Shopper’s World” retail report. Hershey recently revealed its third annual “Creating Value in a Shopper’s World” retail report, and visitors to the Sweets & Snacks Expo will have the opportunity to learn from Hershey’s insights and retail strategy teams. 

Whether consumers are shopping in-store or online, there are certain fundamentals that shoppers want their journey to include, including finding items quickly and easily, having an engaging experience, and feeling that their unique needs are understood by the retailer.

“We’ve uncovered a shopper value equation and translated those insights into snacks retail fundamentals that define a pathway for unlocking untapped potential,” said Phil Stanley, Chief Customer Officer, The Hershey Company. “As a 125-year-old consumer goods company, we share a deep understanding of how, why and where people snack and a unique, category-first approach to joint business planning. Our annual snacks retail report is intended to share Hershey’s thinking on how retailers grow today.”

With its “Creating Value in a Shopper’s World” report, Hershey is helping retailers understand how to optimize a shopper’s time and experience. Hershey’s ReSET team can provide a framework and deployment strategy for retail partners who are ready to fully unlock their retail potential. 

Also during the Sweets & Snacks Expo, Alan Tobin, Hershey’s Director of Category Management for the Convenience Channel, will be discussing the future of convenience stores during his seminar, “Convenience Store Update: Sweets and Snacks Take the Lead," on Tuesday, May 21 at 1 p.m. in the Discovery Theater. Attendees will learn more about the opportunities and challenges that exist for convenience store retailers as retailers evolve to adapt the latest digital and mobile technologies to improve shopper experiences.

Hershey’s booth will also feature experts, insights and strategies on the following topics:

• Shopper Journey Insights
• Center Store
• Permanent Secondary Displays
• Pay Points
• Seasons
• Digital Commerce

For more information about Hershey’s commitment to growth, please visit thehersheycompany.com or stop by booth #1601 at NCA's Sweets & Snacks Expo.

To stay up-to-date on Hershey’s trends and insights, visit Hershey’s company blog.

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company, celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2019, is headquartered in Hershey, Pa., and is an industry-leading snacks company known for bringing goodness to the world through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to help children succeed. Hershey has approximately 16,500 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company has more than 80 brands around the world that drive more than $7.8 billion in annual revenues, including such iconic brand names as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers, SkinnyPop and Pirate’s Booty.

For 125 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. Hershey founder, Milton Hershey, created the Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on helping children succeed.

To learn more visit www.thehersheycompany.com