Grandson Of Reese's Founder Shames Hershey Co. For 'Replacing' Candy's Iconic Ingredients In Powerful Open Letter

Brad Reese, the grandson of H.B. Reese, who invented Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, is now speaking up about the quality of the product and his grandfather's original promise: real peanut butter and real milk chocolate.

When H.B. Reese invented the deliciously simple candy, he pointed out that using real ingredients wasn't a marketing tactic for him; it was a promise to the consumer that they knew what they were eating, and that what they were eating was real food.

The peanut butter at the center of the original Reese's Peanut Butter cup is supposed to start with freshly roasted nuts that are then ground into a perfect peanut butter blend before being combined with authentic milk chocolate, no chemicals or "fake" ingredients needed.

Reese's merged with the Hershey Company in the 1960s, and while all was okay for a while and Reese's developed spinoffs of similar products and flavors, there has been a quiet shift in recent years.

The Hershey Company is gradually moving away from the original ingredients, replacing milk chocolate with "chocolate coating" and peanut butter with "peanut butter creme," along with some unpronounceable ingredients.

Many consumers noticed the difference in taste and "mouth feel," as some overly-processed candies leave a "film" behind in the mouth, and many ultimately stopped purchasing what used to be their favorite candy.

Brad Reese recently became aware of this problem, so he wrote an open letter to Todd Scott, the manager behind the corporate branding at The Hershey Company.

"I went and bought a bag, and I took a couple bites, and I had to throw the bag in the garbage."

"I couldn't eat it. It was not edible."

"I looked at the packaging, and there was no milk chocolate, there was no peanut butter; it was all vegetable oils and fats."

"I can't go on representing being the grandson of Reese's when the product is total bunk. You have no idea how devastating it is."

While he didn't expect a public response to his open letter, he at least wanted the letter to be out there to validate the feelings of Reese's consumers, as trust and transparency were paramount to his grandfather's original vision.

You can read the full open letter here:

"An Open Letter to Todd Scott, Manager, Corporate Brand & Editorial at The Hershey Company"

"Todd, As someone who has spent his career shaping narratives, elevating reputations, and stewarding brand meaning, you understand better than most that a story only works when it is anchored in truth."

"That’s why I’m writing to you publicly today, Saturday, February 14, 2026 (Valentine's Day)."

"My grandfather, H. B. REESE (Who Invented REESE'S), built REESE’S on a simple, enduring architecture: Milk Chocolate + Peanut Butter. Not a flavor idea. Not a marketing construct. A real, tangible product identity that consumers have trusted for a century."

"But today, REESE'S identity is being rewritten, not by storytellers, but by formulation decisions that replace Milk Chocolate with compound coatings and Peanut Butter with peanut‑butter‑style crèmes across multiple REESE’S products."

"And here’s where your role, Todd, becomes central."

"You lead the corporate brand and editorial strategy for The Hershey Company. You shape the story the world hears. You are responsible for ensuring that what The Hershey Company says aligns with what The Hershey Company does."

"So, I have to ask: How does The Hershey Company continue to position REESE’S as its flagship brand, a symbol of trust, quality, and leadership, while quietly replacing the very ingredients (Milk Chocolate + Peanut Butter) that built REESE'S trust in the first place?"

"This isn’t a supply chain question. It’s a brand governance question."

"It’s about whether The Hershey Company's corporate narrative is allowed to drift away from REESE'S product reality. It’s about whether consumers are being asked to believe a story that no longer matches what’s inside the REESE'S orange wrapper."

"It’s about whether REESE'S, the world’s No. 1 chocolate brand, is being protected or diluted."

"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)."

"Right now, the REESE’S story is diverging from what's inside REESE’S products. And that divergence puts REESE'S and the legacy behind it, at risk."

"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."

"Because if REESE’S is going to remain the emotional equity anchor of The Hershey Company, then the story cannot be stronger than the ingredients."

"Todd, you are uniquely positioned to bridge that gap. I hope you will."

The open letter was also shared on Twitter (X), where X users had a lot to say about the change in ingredients.

Some also agreed with Reese's observations, noting the changes they'd noticed in their favorite candy.

Though Reese did not receive a public response, a spokesperson for The Hershey Company did issue a statement about their quality and mission:

"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."

"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."

This may not have been the response Reese was hoping for, but it's important that he has started this conversation, so that adjustments can be made.

Not only is it worthwhile to honor the original recipe, but it would be a healthier and happier change for the average consumer.