Hit by the worsening economy and the rising costs of raw materials, candy giant Hershey's has not only raised candy prices, but has also begun replacing cocoa butter, the ingredient that allegedly gives Hershey's candies their delicious flavor, with vegetable oil.
The formulas of candy products such as Whatchamacallit, Milk Duds, Mr. Goodbar, and Krackel, among other candies, have been changed. Since experts say that the change was meant to go unnoticed by consumers, why the copy edit? Because without cocoa butter, FDA rules will not allow the product to be called milk chocolate.
The new formula has little impact on the nutritional value of the chocolate, and a Today Show blind taste test showed that half of the consumers actually preferred the new vegetable oil formulations. Fans after the taste of authentic milk chocolate can still find the real deal in Hershey's Kisses, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and the classic Hershey's chocolate bar. If in doubt, avoid labels that read "chocolate candy," "chocolaty," or "made with chocolate."
What do you think of this news? If you eat Hershey's candies often, have you noticed a difference? Do you feel cheated by the news of cocoa butter being removed?
Autograph
Ew - these look so unhealthy.
1I recently had a mini Krackle and it tasted awful--more like a Nestle Crunch style flavor. This was the 1st time I'd tried one in year or more, so I wrote it off as a change in palate or false memory.
2Good to have an explanation.
I already felt that Hershey's chocolate was inferior, this it just going to make it worse! Sad.
3I'll buy Godiva more often.
4well - i think that it's a nice thing that they aren't going to raise prices for the consumer, but i don't know how i feel about adding in veggie oil in place of the cocoa butter. we'll see how it does and i wonder if i can compare the cals and nutritional information in the new vs. old.
5I'd noticed the bars getting smaller and the price getting higher, and I actually thought it didn't taste the same last time I had a Hershey bar - which is something that I do about 3 times a year. So it won't affect me, but shame on them for lowering their standards. I'd rather pay for the good ingredients than for some company to try to pull a fast one on me.
6Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
I feel like if Hershey is having to do this, then we're REALLY in trouble. I'm worried this is the beginning of the end.
7
lol aphill --- I think you're right!
8Makes me glad that I don't eat Hershey's... it worries me that they're taking out natural cocoa ingredients and replacing them with additives. Well, more additives, I should say.
9Runningesq and I are going to spearhead this crisis. I can trust that building a following of anti oil compatriots shouldn't be difficult amongst us foodies, can't I??
10Hershey's is not "the beginning of the end". If anything there resulting in using more lesser quality ingredients due to slowing sales, could mean the beginning of the end to fake foods. For years now their chocolate has tasted more like chocolate flavored wax than real chocolate.
If your a Hershey's fan and this is news to you, it only means that this has popped the delusional bubble created by advertising that you have been living in. If this is true congratulations! Now you are findlay free to stop consuming an imitation and Findlay enjoy the real thing!
11Well, hershey's was never that great to begin with. I only ate it because each bite gave me nostalgic moment of my catholic school days.
Oh and it's cheap. Personally, I think that they should have cut down a different way, maybe
with packaging or something.
12No cocoa for oil!
13I think NatashaAlexis needs to realize this is meant to be a website for fun and all comments should be taken with a grain of salt.
And it's Finally, not Findlay, kid.
14I don't eat a lot of Hershey but I think it sucks that they are going on the cheap. I might have to grab a hershey kiss or two and see if they do in fact taste different.
15jennjennbubba Yum said that hershey kisses are not going to change. Ilinac- they did raise the prices.
Yeah I do feel like I've been cheated! I'm not going to buy the new chocolate-free chocolates. It sucks that this is happening with so many food products: the quality is going down, but the price is going up. Consumers are the real losers here.
16That sucks that they are making chocolate cheaper.
17I'm glad to see they didn't change the ingredients in Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. If it ain't broke, don't put vegetable oil in it, I say.
18Ugh! Fake chocolate taste is the worst!
19Yyyeeaaaahh, I can't say this will effect me at all, I never buy Hershey anyway. Now if Cadbury goes downhill, then we've got a problem.
20Hershey always used junk additives.
21Now that the "COCOA" is removed
there is no more nutritional benefits
This is just junk food.
I understand they moved to Mexico.?
Sanitation and hygene is suspect here !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol
Don't take the chance
This is a sad day for American chocolate. When I've tasted cheap chocolate, I know it isn't right (Palmer). Now I know what's wrong with it! When in doubt, go to Dark Chocolate!
22The new hershey's is awful. I had a hershey bar with almonds recently and I had to throw it away. I thought I got a bad one! Later, I purchased another and same thing! Terrible!! I threw that one away too. Then I read online that the recipe was different. YOU CAN TELL! Hershey lost a customer for life. YUCK!
23Hersheys products have gone DOWNHILL in 2004 when they changed the recipes to using SOY LECITHIN (instead of SOYA lecithin (SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT INGREDIENT))
They are too sweet now and taste like crap.... I can only assume they will make them even more disgusting..
24I noticed the taste change in 2004 when they changed the wrapper... I looked @ the ingredients when i saw the new wrapper and noticed they changed from SOYA LECITHIN to SOY LECITHIN and they taste like crap!! (All thier candy now tastes horrible)
I have learned that almost 100% of the time,when a company changes the wrapper,they have ME$$ED UP THE RECIPE somehow and the change is a reflection on that!!
I thought that was the only change but after reading this page,i can see it wasnt!!!!
I love how they try to lie to consumers saying nothing is changed.... They had the balls to raise prices and still degrade thier candy??
Unreal.....
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