Candy Blog

1. The Kissables anecdotes are disheartening, to say the least.

   I have written to Hershey’s to ask that the company consider producing a “Hershey’s Classic” line of chocolates the way they used to be made—with real chocolate and no PGPR. I’ve also written to voice my concern over the amount of HFCS in Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup. No response, and it’s been several months.

   Also disheartening.

   Comment by Frances on 9/23/08 at 12:07 pm

    

2. I understand that people do not like them, but to me, I think the bars that were changed taste better now...I now like Mr. Goodbar more than ever!!! And I hated the Kissables before, and now I like them. Maybe I’m weird.

   Comment by Rob on 9/23/08 at 8:18 pm

    

3. I can respect that some people may actually like the change in taste, but in my opinion, it’s more disturbing that this company is displaying what I believe are unethical and downright dishonest business practices when it comes to dealing with the consumer.

   I was just reading some of their ‘legalese’ yesterday on their site, and they had pages dedicated to their “commitment” to fair and ethical business practices. But from what I’ve seen of late, it doesn’t seem like they practice what they preach.

   Comment by gracecarriveau on 9/23/08 at 9:33 pm

    

4. I’m not totally sold on the lack of business ethics.  For example, say McDonalds was using regular mayo and then without alerting consumers switched to soybean mayo.  It might not taste the same, but I wouldn’t say it was unethical.  Similarly, if Heinz reduced the amount of sugar in their Ketchup, would that be unethical?  Many would even be oblivious to the change. I’m not sure this is a question of ethics.

   If Hershey’s candies did substantially change, the result would also be reflected in sales.  It may be that people will stop buying Hershey’s products; however, I don’t think the difference is that pronounced in in the typical pallet of a consumer.

   Comment by Justin on 9/25/08 at 5:17 am

    

5. I am so glad to have found this blog recently, and also in particular the information on the reformulation of many of the Hershey’s products. When Kissables first came out, I was in love. They *did* taste exactly like Kisses, and I liked them a million times better than I ever liked Plain M&Ms;. For a variety of reasons, I hadn’t had any in a long time, until a few weeks ago. I thought I had an expired or bad bag! Then I thought, man, these just aren’t that great-- what was I thinking? So at least now I know I’m not crazy-- they old ones were so much better, the difference in taste was obvious. The new ones are atrocious. I intend to contact Hershey’s with my displeasure. I’m with the “unethical” group. Switching from reg mayo to soy mayo-- it would still be mayo. This switch changes the very nature of what is inside the candy shell-- you can’t even call it chocolate anymore.

   Comment by Lori on 9/25/08 at 11:07 am

    

6. I have stopped buying hersey candy bars due to not melting like they use to and I hear they are moving to China.  That’s UNAMERICAN.

   chin

   Comment by helene on 10/02/08 at 8:16 am

    

7. Helene - you heard wrong. Hershey’s is not moving to China. They opened a factory there to make chocolate for the Chinese and Asian markets.

   The did, however, close to factories - one in Canada and one in Oakdale, CA and open a larger one in Mexico. Their chocolate for sale in the United States is still made in the US. (Though some other candy products will be made in Mexico. Be sure to read the package.)

   Wherever it was made, I agree, if it doesn’t taste like you want it to, don’t buy it. But also write to Hershey’s and tell them why. They should know why you’re making your choices, because sometimes companies correct these things.

   Comment by Cybele on 10/02/08 at 9:02 am

    

8. Here is my reply after my kissables became unkissable :-(
   Thank you for contacting The Hershey Company. We appreciate your interest in our company.

   Hershey’s favorite iconic brands continue to be made with milk and dark chocolate including HERSHEY’S, HERSHEY’S KISSES, HERSHEY’S BLISS, REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups, KIT KAT, YORK and ALMOND JOY, just to name a few.  In fact, the vast majority of the items in our portfolio—about 85 percent—are made with pure chocolate. All of our products are clearly labeled.

   Hershey has set the standard for quality chocolate for more than 100 years and will continue to do so

   So they do metion the ones that do have chocolate and skim over hte fact that they started out chocolate and then slipped some fakies in on me!

   Comment by Bonnie on 10/08/08 at 9:10 pm

    

9. I wrote them about the kissables change and got back a useless generic salesman-ish message that didn’t address any of my concerns or comments:

   Thank you for contacting The Hershey Company. We appreciate your interest in our company.

   Hershey’s favorite iconic brands continue to be made with milk and dark chocolate including HERSHEY’S, HERSHEY’S KISSES, HERSHEY’S BLISS, REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups, KIT KAT, YORK and ALMOND JOY, just to name a few.  In fact, the vast majority of the items in our portfolio—about 85 percent—are made with pure chocolate. All of our products are clearly labeled.

   Hershey has set the standard for quality chocolate for more than 100 years and will continue to do so.

   Comment by Eagle on 10/10/08 at 9:47 am

    

10. As Hershey’s keeps quoting this 85% figure, I wrote to them asking about it:

    I got an email in response to a request for information that says:

    “Hershey’s favorite iconic brands continue to be made with milk and dark chocolate including HERSHEY’S, HERSHEY’S KISSES, HERSHEY’S BLISS, REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups, KIT KAT, YORK and ALMOND JOY, just to name a few.  In fact, the vast majority of the items in our portfolio—about 85 percent—are made with pure chocolate. All of our products are clearly labeled.”

    How is that 85% figure calculated? Is it by mass? Do you weigh everything with the Hershey’s label? Is it by product sku? Does this include your sub-brands such as Twizzlers and Jolly Ranchers?

    Please tell me what 85% means.

    So we’ll see what sort of response I get next week.

    Thanks to everyone logging their replies here.

    Comment by Cybele on 10/10/08 at 11:46 am

     

11. I have sent Hersheys a letter of concern/complaint regarding the horrible reformulation of their Kissables. 

    I will post any response I get here.

    I doubt anything will change, but we can certainly hope.

    I dont see that product surviving too long in the current rendition.  They are awful.

    Comment by Hershey-Et lover on 10/27/08 at 9:12 am

     

12. I just got a new bag of Hershey’s kisses. They don’t taste the same to me. Maybe it’s all the talk about the vegetable oil, maybe I’m just sick of things always changing to keep the CEO’s in their mansions. I just don’t think the chocolate kisses taste the SAME as they used to! Is it me???

    Comment by Carol on 10/28/08 at 6:21 pm

     

13. Here is my two big beefs with Hershey.  First they were founded here in Pa, where Milton Hershey built a free private school for gifted children with only one parent alive.  Now they want to move out of the country to save costs?  What about the kids? Do they move to Mexico too?

    Next Big Huge beef I am severly allergic to coconut and coconut oil, which they now use in all of their new candy bars, and are starting to use in their old ones as well. When I wrote about the change in ingredients, and asked if there was a way to buy it made the old way, I received no response at all.

    So bye bye Hershey I will stick to M&M;Mars, they don’t use it in any of their chocolate.  And the new taste of Hershey is simply not good enough to die for.

    Comment by Kathy on 11/02/08 at 7:35 am

     

14. A couple of comments
    1. A lot of candy companies have had to move overseas because sugar prices are artificially high due to the sugar lobby. Try to buy chewing gum or hard candy and it all comes from Mexico or Canada to avoid the sugar tariff.
    2. I tried to complain to Hershey and their web form crashed, so i guess that is their response…
    3. These companies are not moving to increase profits, but to survive. This is a very competitive industry, and if Mars or Nestle can sell a chocolate bar for 10% cheaper because it is imported using cheaper sugar, Hershey has to cut prices or get pushed off the candy rack and out of the vending machines.
    4. Chocolate prices have also gone up recently
    http://www.tradingeconomics.com/Economics/Commodities.aspx?Symbol=CC1
    Personally, I would rather pay twice the price and keep the quality.

    Comment by jcp on 11/04/08 at 2:08 pm

     

15. I called them the other day about their Hershey bars.They were nice,but their candy bars are still lousy at this point.

    Comment by Dean on 11/09/08 at 8:47 pm

     

16. Justin - Here’s where the difference in ethics comes in for me.  Using the analogy where McD’s changes their mayo, say that I notice that something tastes odd about my burger.  Maybe I think that one of the ingredients may have been spoiled, resulting in the off taste.  So I write them a letter.

    They can respond one of two ways.  They can acknowledge that their ingredients have changed, explain that a difference in flavor is to be expected with the new recipe, and express the hope that I as a customer will come to like the new flavor and will be happy with their product in the future.  Or they can write a letter suggesting that perhaps I ate a breathmint or some other strongly-flavored item, which would skew the taste of their product, or that I might be suffering from a cold and can’t taste properly.  Okay, I realize that I’m stretching, but I’m trying to come up with something analogous to “maybe the retail store shelved chocolate with mothballs”.

    The point is, disclosure is ethical.  Diverting the issue by saying “Our product is just great… we don’t know why it tastes funny to *you*” is not.

    Comment by Droewyn on 11/11/08 at 12:07 pm

     

17. I contacted Hershey recently about the change to their licorice Goodies (here in Canada).  They used to be manufactured in Canada.  Now they say “imported” on the package.  They taste like Good & Plenty, which is an all right candy, but not my favourite (which were the old Goodies).  Hershey said that they reformulated the product and that it did well in focus groups.  Oh well. Hershey lost a customer in me (at least with respect to licorice products).

    Comment by Mitchell Leitman on 11/12/08 at 1:22 pm

     

18. Hi Droewyn,

    Thanks for expressing your contention in a civil manner. 

    I’d definitely agree that hiding or obscuring the truth is unethical. Your experience in contacting Hershey’s definitely sounds like they were being unethical.  Furthermore, diverting blame to your customers’ perception from your product’s characteristics is a foolish business strategy.  It doesn’t encourage repeat business to say the least…

    However, I’d say as long as they legitimately state what is in the candy on the wrapper, I don’t really think it is unethical.  Personally, I think the difference in taste is pretty apparent, but I know many don’t.  My friend couldn’t tell the difference between a Hershey’s Bar and Hershey’s Bliss (not the same I know, but demonstrates the discernment/involvement level of casual consumers).

    Comment by Justin on 11/12/08 at 4:32 pm

     

19. I snapped over the gross new “goodier” Goodies too

    See my blog for copy of the letter I wrote the to Prez of Hersheys.

    Will let you know if I get a reply.

    Comment by E. Ann Bardawill on 11/24/08 at 12:55 pm

     

20. Glad to find this site...I used to love Hershey’s chocolate, but have found, in the last few years that it tastes “waxy”...ick.  And listing ingredients is very important, even in the mayo vs. soy mayo...considering all the food allergies out there.

    Comment by Aimee on 12/01/08 at 2:29 pm

     

21. Cybele--

    I do have a lot of respect for you, for your site, and for most chocolate connoisseurs.  However, I have tried the “new” Kissables, and I don’t understand what you guys are getting your panties in a wad about.  To my untrained chocolate connoisseur tastebuds, it tastes EXACTLY THE SAME as before!! 

    There seems to be no change to the formula; in fact, in the ingredient list, it says, and I quote, “Sugar; Vegetable Oil (COCOA BUTTER, palm, shea, sunflower and/or safflower oil); chocolate; [etc.]” And BTW, if you think I’m pulling an ingredient list out of my behind, I have the “chocolate candy” Kissables bag right next to my computer!

    In all fairness, I’d rather appreciate chocolate for what it is: chocolate.  What it does or doesn’t have in it doesn’t matter to me, as I’m more of a white chocolate freak (God bless Hershey’s Cookies and Cream).

    BJ

    Comment by BJ Wanlund on 12/01/08 at 7:08 pm

     

22. Go to a local natural-foods store and check out their fair-trade chocolate products.  There are lots of really good chocolate products made with real, pure ingredients that the maker is proud, rather than ashamed, to list on the label.  The same thing goes for most of the food you’ll find in these places.  It’s generally a little more expensive, but the difference in flavor and healthfulness of ingredients is amazing.

    Comment by Bill on 12/03/08 at 6:15 pm

     

23. Bill - thanks for adding that suggestion. I’ve been writing about organic, fair trade and all natural products here for quite a few years now.

    But there’s nothing wrong with urging companies that you already patronize to do better. (Hershey’s does own Dagoba, which is organic and fair trade. Perhaps with some public pressure those ethics could trickle up.)

    Comment by Cybele on 12/03/08 at 6:22 pm

     

24. Could the folks coming over from Metafilter please offer this link to the OP?

    http://www.typetive.com/candyblog/item/rising_cost_of_candy/

    Comment by Cybele on 12/03/08 at 6:45 pm

     

25. BJ

    Try buying a newly produced bag of Kissables rather than a bag that was simply new to you. Sounds to me like you got a bag with the original ingredients which would naturally taste EXACTLY THE SAME as before, since it was… the newly produced KIssables have vegetable oil (palm, shea, sunflower and/or safflower oil) as ingredients and say “Chocolate Candy” on the front where as the old Kissabales have Milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, nonfat milk, milk fat, lactose, soy lecithin, PGPR & artificial flavors) as ingredients and say “Milk Chocolate” on the front of the package. Hope this helps clarify the issue a bit.

    Comment by Phule on 12/11/08 at 2:07 am

     

26. I actually HAVE been buying the “chocolate candy” ones, and there is absolutely NOTHING different to the ingredient list, it has vegetable oil, then in parentheses it still has cocoa butter.

    I think the change in the packaging isn’t because of the vegetable oils, but rather just an aesthetic change. If it still has cocoa butter, then the move to “chocolate candy” is inexplicable.

    Of course, my particular “chocolate candy” bags are the ones that have pink integrated into the packaging, so your mileage may vary.

    BJ

    Comment by BJ Wanlund on 12/11/08 at 7:38 am

     

27. That’s very interesting BJ. The package I’m looking at in front of me lists vegetable oil (palm, shea, sunflower and/or safflower oil) as ingredients and say “Chocolate Candy” but no Coccoa Butter what-so-ever is listed as an ingredient. Weird.

    Comment by Phule on 12/11/08 at 2:09 pm

     

28. BJ - also, remember that “and/or” means that some of those might not be in there. As in, there may not be any cocoa butter in there at all. They list it for the sake of folks who may be allergic or have dietary restrictions.

    The packaging change is because FDA regulations on the definition of “chocolate” state that it can’t be called chocolate if it contains other vegetable oils.

    If you’re enjoying this formulation, then I’m happy for you. You’re the kind of customer Hershey’s has been telling us about.

    Comment by Cybele on 12/11/08 at 2:16 pm

     

29. @justin...as my brother has a pretty bad soy allergy, that kind of mcdonalds switch SHOULD be published.

    Comment by jess on 12/12/08 at 12:17 pm

     

30. Jess, That’s a little off topic.  I hope the point of the analogy was not lost.

    However, since your brother has a soy allergy please make sure he is aware that all McDonald’s buns and cheeses contain soy ingredients.

    http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/

    Comment by Justin on 12/13/08 at 7:51 am

     

31. I am really ticked that they changed my favorite candy - Goodies!
    They used to make it with real licorice.  Now, as someone else has remarked, they taste more like Good & Plenty.  I called Hershey and complained, but I doubt they will do anything about it.

    Comment by Betty IK on 1/04/09 at 10:57 am

     

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