economy
March 11, 2026
‘I took two bites and had to spit it out’: candy makers are phasing out real cocoa in chocolate
Due to the volatile cocoa market, companies like Hershey are using replacement ingredients such as sugar, oil, milk and nuts
TL;DR
- Brad Reese, grandson of HB Reese, found a new Reese's holiday candy to be inedible due to a lack of milk chocolate.
- The candy featured a chocolate-flavored coating primarily made of sugar and vegetable oil, with less than 2% cocoa.
- Reese publicly criticized Hershey for potentially compromising the quality of its flagship brand.
- The volatile cocoa market, driven by climate issues and high demand, has led to a significant increase in cocoa prices.
- Chocolate companies are resorting to strategies like 'shrinkflation' and reformulation, replacing cocoa with other ingredients to maintain profitability.
- Regulatory standards for what constitutes 'chocolate' vary, with stricter definitions in Europe compared to the US.
- While cocoa prices have recently fallen, companies are hesitant to lower prices due to advance purchasing and the need to rebuild profit margins.
- Consumers are advised to read packaging carefully and consider brands with ethically sourced ingredients or higher cocoa content if quality is a priority.
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