Chocolate giant Hershey has announced they are releasing two new products to add to their brand. And this time, vegans can enjoy them too! If you love Reese’s peanut butter cups or Hershey’s almond chocolate bars before going plant-based, you’ll be happy to know that you can eat them again!
In a move to keep up with its competitors, the world-famous Hershey is making their very own plant-based chocolates too! In recent years, many people are converting to a vegan or plant-based diet and companies are trying to keep up with the demand.
Chocolate, a dairy-based product, is a big no-no for vegans. However, in 2021, two chocolatier companies produced plant-based chocolates to cater to everyone. Nestle had their vegan KitKat, while Mondelez bought Hu to make vegan chocolates. And now Hershey has joined the party.
Reese’s is one of the best-selling products from Hershey. And to include their plant-based eating customers, vegan Reese’s will be distributed this month. Aside from Reese’s, Hershey also announced a vegan almond chocolate bar to be available in April.
But how do chocolates become vegan? Don’t they have to have milk in them? Not necessarily. Oat, almond, or soy milk are great substitutes for fresh cow’s milk, so these can make chocolates too.
Hershey announced both plant-based Reese’s peanut butter cups, and almond chocolate bars contain oats instead of dairy. Vegan sweets are part of the ‘Better For You’ initiative of the company to be inclusive to consumers.
Aside from vegans, who else will enjoy these new treats? Everyone, even lactose-intolerant people! Lactose intolerance affects many individuals and causes them to be unable to digest dairy products properly. So if you have the condition but still love those little peanut butter cups, you won’t be afraid of eating them anymore! You can have as much as you want with the stomachache!
Overall, this move towards providing their customers with a dairy-free option is gripping many companies. This can also be traced back to the rise in the popularity of veganism. Many traditional meat or dairy-based products like burgers or cheeses now have plant-based alternatives. More people are going vegan for health and moral lessons. So it’s nice to see big companies keep up with the demand.
Hershey is the latest world-renowned company to endorse diet inclusivity through their products. And they surely won’t be the last. Once niggling concern remains, though, how much will these new vegan treats cost?
It’s an established fact that most vegan products or food cost a little bit more than their regular counterparts. Vegan chocolate, in particular, is pricier than dairy-based ones. The reason for this is the smaller quantity of production and the organic products used for the chocolates.
Other brands with plant-based chocolates are known to be more expensive, but Hershey is yet to release the prices of the new vegan Reese’s and almond bar. But hey, chocolates are meant to be savored once in a while right? So it will surely be worth it.