Grandson of Reese’s Creator Calls Out Hershey for Changing Original Recipe

Brad Reese, the grandson of Reese’s creator H.B. Reese, has been very vocal lately about his disappointment in how The Hershey Company has continued his family’s legacy. So much so that his self-appointed title on LinkedIn is “Protecting Reese’s Brand Identity.” In his latest crusade to call out the chocolate brand, he’s questioning why Hershey allegedly changed the original recipe for the beloved peanut butter cups.

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What is Brad Reese accusing Hershey of changing?

In a LinkedIn post shared this week, Brad called out Hershey for swapping milk chocolate for compound coatings and real peanut butter for peanut butter “cremes,” noting that the Hershey Company “continues to market Reese’s as if nothing has changed.”

“This is no longer a supply‑chain story. It’s a Reese’s brand governance failure by The Hershey Company’s Board of Directors,” he wrote in the post. “When a flagship brand like Reese’s that’s built on a simple, enduring architecture, Milk Chocolate + Peanut Butter, is quietly rebuilt with cheaper substitutes, that’s not innovation. That’s erosion. And erosion always shows up first in consumer trust, then in valuation.”

Brad then asked for the company to “stop hiding the changes, restore the architecture,” and “tell the truth.”

A week earlier, Brad wrote an open letter on February 14 addressed to Hershey’s senior communications manager, Todd Scott. “Todd, you’ve built a career on the belief that ‘a good story is at the heart of any conversation.’ I agree. But a good story requires honesty, transparency, and respect for the audience (Reese’s consumers),” he urged. “As the grandson of the man who created Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, I’m not asking for nostalgia. I’m asking for alignment. For truth in Reese’s brand stewardship. For a corporate narrative from The Hershey Company that reflects the Reese’s product consumers are actually receiving.”

He also spoke with The New York Times, sharing that after he found a bag of Valentine’s Day Reese’s Mini Hearts to be inedible (we liked them, for the record), he purchased a bag of Easter-themed Peanut Butter Eggs to examine the ingredients. “I looked at the packaging, and sure enough, it was chocolate coating and also peanut butter creme, which means it’s not real peanut butter,” he told the publication. “It’s all vegetable fats.”

He told the Times that, after that disappointment, he redesigned his personal site (which previously celebrated the Reese’s legacy) to call on Hershey to return to its previous formula.

How did Hershey respond to Brad Reese’s accusation?

In a statement, the company confirmed that there have been minor changes since the chocolate’s creation in 1928, evolving with the times. “Our iconic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are made the same way they always have been; starting with roasting fresh peanuts to make our unique, one-of-a-kind peanut butter that is then combined with milk chocolate,” wrote a Hershey spokesperson. “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.”

Why did Hershey adjust its Reese’s recipe?

As the Times pointed out, cocoa prices are soaring, making it difficult to meet the demand for chocolate as before. Reese’s isn’t the only Hershey product that is now made with a cocoa-flavored coating instead of milk chocolate. Others include Rolos, Mr. Goodbar and Almond Joy.

How will Brad respond to Hershey’s explanation? Keep an eye on LinkedIn to find out, apparently.