Grandson of Reese’s founder alleges Hershey has switched to cheaper ingredients – sparking family feud

NY Post ^ | 02/18/2026 | Taylor Herzlich

[DFG]

The grandson of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups creator is slamming the Hershey Co. for allegedly switching to cheaper ingredients to make the iconic snacks – and his accusations are sparking fierce pushback from his relatives, The Post has learned.

Brad Reese, 70 – whose grandfather HB Reese invented the famous treat – claimed Hershey has swapped out milk chocolate for cheap compound coating made from vegetable oils. He also claims Hershey has sneakily replaced real peanut butter with peanut-butter flavored cremes.

“I can’t just let it go. They’re lowering the quality of ingredients, charging the same price and probably giving you a smaller product size,” Reese, a retiree living in West Palm Beach, told The Post. “I’m really embarrassed as a member of the Reese family.”

The Hershey Co. told The Post its original Peanut Butter Cups are still made with peanut butter and milk chocolate – though it has made “recipe adjustments” in new products that “allow us to make new shapes, sizes and innovations that Reese’s fans have come to love and ask for.”

“What consumer that you know of has said, ‘Hey, I don’t want milk chocolate in my Reese’s products anymore. I prefer compound coating!’” Reese shot back with a laugh, adding that the statement does not specifically deny changing ingredients in other Reese’s products.

His LinkedIn posts blasting the alleged quality compromises quickly went viral – and his cousin, whose daughter works for the Hershey Company, pleaded with him to stop in a heated text message.

“Brad, this is your cousin Becky. You have created a nightmare for our family and the company,” read a copy of the text message obtained by The Post, which matched the phone number for his cousin, Becky Hilgers.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: candy; hershey; reese

[alstewartfan]

He is correct.

[SharpRightTurn]

“Chocolate City” — Ah, yes, the Martin Luther King Jr. Day speech by Ray Nagin, Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 16, 2006.

You can’t make this stuff up. And of course, as always, the media gave him a pass on his racism.

[dfwgator]

God Bless CC and its vanilla suburbs.

[newfreep]

I rarely eat chocolate...but after reading this thread, any recommendations for true quality chocolate treats?

[ncalburt]

Hersey bar ARE NOT considered chocolate overseas .
There CRAP does not use enough Real Chocolate to be sold overseas.

That says it all.

Its pure garbage but great pr .

[Hyman Roth]

I’ve tasted the difference also.

[metmom]

Ice cream is the same.

Now it’s *Frozen dairy dessert*. They’re cutting back on the milk and cream and putting in thickeners.

[ncalburt]

Tonys and Theo

[mikey_hates_everything]

Maybe Ghirardelli? Wife gets them from Costco and they haven’t seemed to change. Otherwise, something from Switzerland I guess at this point.

[Mathews]

Real dark chocolate tastes bitter, but the health benefits of it are terrific!!! Big difference between milk chocolate and the real deal. I don’t think the Europeans even recognize milk chocolate as real chocolate.

[dfwgator]

We did the Lindt tour when we went to Zurich. Highly recommend it.

[Tom Tetroxide]

Roll your own if you want better quality.

[KevinB]

My wife got me a box of the heart shaped Reese’s for Valentine’s Day. I am an experienced Reese’s lover and immediately noticed the significant degradation in quality.

[bert]

It would appear that having spent all his inheritance, the grandson is chomping on sour grapes

[meatloaf]

“Never let an accountant run your company” is good advice.

Schlitz beer did it and died.

Auto companies do it.

[Wilderness Conservative]

Hershey is one of the many casualties of American products that turned to crap thanks to globalism and accepting lower standards in everything.

[albie]

I lived in Harrisburg in 87-89 and went to Hershey to see friends often. Charming town then

[George from New England]

B & M baked beans used to be made in brick ovens. Big buyout ended that
Was portland, me
Now some hole in midwest

[Snowybear]

This is pervasive throughout the industry. There’s only one brand I will buy that is still true to their origins, Moser Roth. It’s available at Aldi stores.

-SB

[Jolla]

a bit off topic but Mark Levin had an interesting talk on processed foods last night. The general topic was how healthy our food is now and processed foods have gotten a bum rap. 100 years ago people were eating unhealthy food all of the time, mostly from it being around too long, no refrigeration from picking to eating some things go bad fast.