Hershey’s Easter basket brimming with new offerings
The Hershey stand at Sweets & Snacks Expo 2023 in Chicago. Pic: Neill Barston
US confectionery group Hershey is offering up a host of Easter treats across its portfolio, including innovations in the form of new Reese’s Peanut Butter Mini Eggs, KitKat special edition lemon flavour, and Cadbury Caramello Miniatures, reports Neill Barston.
The Easter market remains right at the core of many manufacturers’ innovation pipelines, as families look to get together and celebrate around the world, with this year being no exception.
As Hershey explained to Confectionery Production, seasonal shapes are continuing to prove fan favourites, with over one-third of purchasing households exclusively choosing Reese’s seasonal shapes over everyday items. Building on this success, the business reported that it has created a mini, ‘pop and go’ version to its existing ranges.
According to the company, Reese’s and Cadbury have stood out as the top two brands of the Easter season, which last year saw candy sales in the US alone of over $3 billion, according to figures from Statista.
“Hershey takes pride in being the leader of the Easter season, consistently delivering innovative and delightful treats that become an integral part of cherished traditions,” said Heather Seamans, Manager Spring & Innovation Strategy at The Hershey Company. “Reese’s Peanut Butter Mini Eggs Unwrapped, along with our other Easter products, showcase our commitment to creating moments of joy and togetherness during this special time of the year.”
Among the company’s seasonal series, the Reese’s Peanut Butter Mini Eggs (above) are in Unwrapped form for easy snacking, available in an 8 oz bag, while the Cadbury Caramello Miniatures come individually wrapped in a striking seasonal graphic, making them ideal for Easter candy dishes, produced in a 7.6 oz format.
Meanwhile, the KitKat Lemon Crisp flavoured bar (pictured below) offers a zesty option combining classic wafers and smooth lemon-flavoured creme, which is being made available as a special edition treat.
Furthermore, Hershey’s Cookies n Creme Polka Dot Bunnies feature white creme exterior with pastel blue, pink, and purple cookie pieces on the inside, delivered in a convenient 6-pack of 1.2 oz bars.
In an additional move, following a successful Halloween venture, the company is once again collaborating with Haribo for a special edition of Goldbears gummies designed as a winning choice for egg hunts and Easter baskets.
Making a welcome return
As the company noted, there will also be some firm favourites returning to its roster including its popular Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs, which are being produced in snack size, standard and king, as well as Peanut Butter Bunnies, featuring for a limited time this spring in a 9.1 oz bag.
The portfolio also includes Cadbury Royal Dark Chocolate Mini Eggs that have proved another sharing winner for the brand, and also being delivered in 9oz bags. For some further colourful additions, the company is also producing Cadbury Rainbow Mini Eggs in red, orange, yellow, green, and blue. These vibrantly coloured treats are made from Cadbury Milk Chocolate with a crisp sugar shell, in an 8 oz. bag.
Last, but by no means least, the classic Cadbury Creme Egg returns with its distinctive milk chocolate shell embracing a soft fondant centre to complete the Easter range.
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