Dive Brief:
- Hershey is debuting new versions of its Kisses and milk chocolate bars made without artificial flavors in time for the holidays.
- Hershey announced in February that it would be making many of its products with simpler and more natural ingredients in addition to increased transparency and sustainable ingredient sourcing.
- The holiday Hershey's Kisses will also launch with the new SmartLabel, a QR code consumers can scan to access detailed information about a product, such as ingredients, nutrition facts, and allergens.
Dive Insight:
"People want to see ingredients that they know and are familiar with in their foods, and we’re listening," Mary-Ann Somers, vice president and general manager of US Confection at the Hershey Company, said in a news release.
This is a strategic move for Hershey, as the holidays approach. Also in time for the holidays, Hershey announced Hershey's Kisses Deluxe, a larger version of Kisses with ingredients like rice crisps and a hazelnut center, which contribute to the product's gluten-free label. This product helps Hershey tap into the premium chocolate market at a time of year when consumers may be more likely to splurge on sweet treats.
The SmartLabel will also help Hershey in its quest for more transparency. According to a recent Mintel study, nearly three out of four millennials wished food companies would be more transparent about how they make their products, so this QR code could be an answer to that demographic's concerns.