The Reese’s brand just took a hit from an unlikely source: the descendant of its founder.
In 1919, H.B. Reese created his eponymous candy company. In 1928, he invented the flagship peanut butter cups that would define his brand, and in 1963, his sons sold the company to The Hershey Co. Now, H.B. Reese’s grandson Brad Reese is standing up for his grandpa’s original recipe, alleging that Hershey has replaced a portion of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups’ key ingredients with lower-quality alternatives.
Reese addressed Hershey via a LinkedIn post on Valentine’s Day that has since gone viral, claiming that the company now uses “compound coatings” instead of milk chocolate, and “peanut‑butter‑style crèmes” instead of peanut butter.
“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 asked in his post.
In a statement to Fast Company, Hershey defended its recipes, saying that Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups “are made the same way they always have been,” from milk chocolate and peanut butter.
“As we’ve grown and expanded the Reese’s product line, we make product recipe adjustments that allow us to make new shapes, sizes and innovations that Reese’s fans have come to love and ask for, while always protecting the essence of what makes Reese’s unique and special: the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter,” Hershey said.
But Hershey consumers across social media are siding with Reese, claiming that they’ve noticed the difference in taste across Reese’s products and lamenting the apparent decline of their favorite candy.
“I love my Reese’s but I stopped eating them last Halloween because that’s when I noticed a big change. They got mad nasty. The chocolate was off and the peanut butter got really grainy and disgusting,” one user shared.
Others took Reese’s claim as evidence that the “enshittification” phenomenon is coming not just for our online platforms, but for our candy.
Reese himself also offered a firsthand account in an interview with the Associated Press. He tried a new Valentine’s Day-themed product, Reese’s Mini Hearts, but ultimately threw out the bag. The candy’s packaging seemed to affirm Reese’s suspicions, listing “chocolate candy and peanut butter creme” as primary ingredients, not milk chocolate and peanut butter.
“It was not edible,” Reese told the AP. “You have to understand. I used to eat a Reese’s product every day. This is very devastating for me.”
He added that Hershey should take a cue from its own founder, Milton Hershey, who famously said, “Give them quality, that’s the best advertising.”
“I absolutely believe in innovation, but my preference is innovation with quality,” Reese said.