The Hershey Company Highlights New Products and Drives Retail Growth at 2025 NACS Show

Rhea-AI Summary

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) will showcase new product innovations and convenience‑channel growth strategies at the NACS Show Expo in Chicago, Oct 15–17, 2025 (booth #S5706).

Key highlights include the launch of Reese's OREO® Cup, new Jolly Rancher and Shaq‑A‑Licious SKUs, reformulated SkinnyPop flavors, and expansion of Sour Strips distribution in 2026. Data show salty snacks +9.5% YTD and sweets +23.2% YTD in C‑stores, plus strong bundling and promotion lifts that drive repeat purchases and basket growth.

Positive

• Salty snacks sales +9.5% YTD in C‑stores
• Sweets business growth +23.2% YTD in C‑stores
• Confectionery promotions deliver a 56% average unit lift
• Standard‑size bars achieve a 92% promotional lift

Negative

• None.

Insights

Retail C-store Growth Strategist

Hershey highlights strong convenience‑store growth, major product launches, and promotion/bundling metrics that support near‑term merchandising upside.

Hershey is pushing a product-led growth play in convenience channels anchored by the launch of the Reese's OREO® Cup and expanded SKUs across confectionery and salty snacks. Reported executional metrics include 9.5% YTD growth for salty brands, 23.2% growth in sweets, a 56% average unit lift from confectionery promotions, and a 92% lift for standard-size bars; these figures, if accurate, indicate high promotional ROI and strong SKU-level demand in C-stores. The company will present these initiatives at the NACS Show Expo on October 15-17, 2025 at booth #S5706.

Key dependencies and risks include retail execution and retailer pricing decisions, which the release notes are "at the sole discretion of the retailer," and the timing of broader distribution such as the cited Sour Strips expansion in 2026. The claims rely on third-party data sources; outcomes depend on sustained promotional effectiveness and retailer adoption of recommended merchandising and bundling tactics.

Near-term items to watch are distribution and shelf placement announcements after the October 15-17, 2025 event, real-world sell-through of the Reese's OREO® Cup, and whether the cited promotional lifts translate into lasting category share gains over the next 6-12 months. These metrics provide concrete, monitorable signals for channel performance rather than speculative forecasts.

HERSHEY, Pa., Oct. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 

Event Details:

• Event: NACS Show Expo 2025
• Dates: October 15-17, 2025
• Location: Chicago, IL
• Hershey Booth: #S5706

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) will showcase product innovations and convenience channel growth strategies at the 2025 NACS Show Expo, featuring the highly anticipated Reese's OREO® Cup and new offerings across its snacking portfolio, including confectionery, salty snacks and protein offerings. The company will share data-driven insights on bundling strategies, promotional tactics and merchandising approaches that drive repeat purchases and increase basket sizes in convenience stores.

FEATURED PRODUCT INNOVATIONS

Reese's  OREO® Cup

• What it is: Milk chocolate and white creme peanut butter cups with OREO® cookie crumbs - since launch, it's on track to be one of Reese's biggest launches
• Why it matters: Unites America's No. 1 candy and No. 1 cookie brands, making a high-impact debut poised to drive major growth

Jolly Rancher  Ropes Tropical Flavor

• What it is: Chewy ropes with juicy center featuring fruit punch and mango pairing
• Why it matters: Expands the fast-growing Jolly Rancher Ropes lineup, capitalizing on 30.7% category growth since 2021¹

Shaq-A-Licious  XL Gummies in Sneaker Shapes

• What it is: Sneaker-shaped gummies in strawberry, mango, and lime flavors, created through a collaboration with basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal
• Why it matters: The third-fastest growing sweets brand since its 2024 debut¹

Dot's Homestyle Pretzels  Buffalo Flavor

• What it is: Buffalo-flavored seasoned pretzel twists
• Why it matters: The No.1 pretzel franchise in convenience stores and has grown 16.4% in the past year¹

SkinnyPop Popcorn White Cheddar and Butter (Reformulated)

• What's new: White Cheddar now features real cheese; Butter has richer, creamier taste
• Why it matters: Enhances the No. 2 branded popcorn in C-stores while maintaining clean ingredients¹

BY THE NUMBERS

Salty Snacks Growth:

• 9.5% YTD sales increase for Hershey's salty brands in C-stores (outpacing total category)²
• No. 1 pretzel franchise: Dot's Homestyle Pretzels in convenience
• No. 2 branded popcorn: SkinnyPop Popcorn in convenience

Sweets Performance:

• Jolly Rancher and Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies are among fastest-growing non-chocolate confectionery brands in C-stores, and Hershey has grown sweets business by 23.2% in 2025²

Bundling Impact:

• 60% of shoppers have purchased a foodservice bundle at C-stores³
• 34% of shoppers include candy in their bundles³
• Nearly one-third of total C-store sales and profits come from foodservice²

Promotional Effectiveness:

• 56% average unit lift from confectionery promotions in C-stores⁴
• 92% promotional lift for standard-size bars (outperforming king-size bars threefold) ⁴
• Standard-size bars represent 15% of total CMG sales⁴

EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

"We work hand-in-hand with our retail partners to make every shopper interaction count," said Tiffany Menyhart, Chief Customer Officer, The Hershey Company. "Through thoughtful pack and product innovation grounded in consumer trends and understanding, we help retailers deliver more options and help increase sales."

GROWTH STRATEGIES FOR C-STORE RETAILERS

Optimize Salty Snacks Assortment
Focus on stocking top-performing SKUs, organizing by usage occasion, and using vertical merchandising to boost visibility. These tactics ensure shelf space aligns with sales and maximizes conversions in busy aisles.

Accelerate With Sweets Innovation
Fast-growing brands like Jolly Rancher, Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies, and the newly acquired Sour Strips are propelling Hershey's non-chocolate confectionery growth, with Sour Strips expanding distribution in 2026. Strategic acquisitions are boosting Hershey's appeal among Gen Z shoppers and strengthening its position in convenience retail.

Maximize Promotions With Everyday Multiples (EDM) Strategy
The Everyday Multiples (EDM) strategy bundles low-cost items to encourage shoppers to buy more, offering consistent value and using prominent displays and signage to drive awareness. This approach is highly effective in C-stores, where confectionery promotions deliver a 56% average unit lift and standard bars achieve a 92% promotional lift.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: When and where is the NACS Show Expo 2025? A: October 15-17, 2025, in Chicago, IL. Visit Hershey at booth #S5706.
Q: What is Hershey's biggest product launch for 2025? A: The Reese's OREO® Cup, combining America's No.1 candy and No. 1 cookie brands.
Q: How are Hershey's salty snacks performing in C-stores? A: Hershey's salty brands (Pirate's Booty Puffs, SkinnyPop Popcorn, Dot's Homestyle Pretzels) are up 9.5% YTD, outpacing the total category.
Q: What is the EDM promotional strategy? A: Everyday Multiples (EDM) is a bundle deal strategy for low-cost items that encourages multi-unit purchases and rewards loyal shoppers.
Q: Why are C-stores important for product innovation? A: C-stores allow consumers to try new products before committing to larger packtypes in mainstream retail, making the channel a powerful growth driver.

HERSHEY'S COMPLETE PORTFOLIO AT NACS 2025

Confectionery Brands: Reese's, Hershey's, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers, ROLO®, Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies, Sour Strips
Better-For-You & Protein: ONE Brands, FULFIL
Salty Snacks: Pirate's Booty, SkinnyPop, Dot's Homestyle Pretzels

Pricing is at the sole discretion of the retailer.

DATA SOURCES

¹ Circana 2025 YTD Ending 9/28/2025
² Circana 2025 YTD Ending 9/7/2025
³ Mintel's NACS CSX Convenience Benchmarking Database 2024
⁴ Circana 2025 YTD Ending 6/29/2025

About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company is an industry-leading snacks company known for making more moments of goodness through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to doing the right thing for its people, planet, and communities. Hershey has more than 20,000 employees in the U.S. and worldwide who work daily to deliver delicious, high-quality products. The company has more than 90 brand names in approximately 80 countries that drive more than $11.2 billion in annual revenues, including Hershey's, Reese's, Kisses, KIT KAT®, Jolly Rancher, Twizzlers and Ice Breakers, and salty snacks including SkinnyPop, Pirate's Booty and Dot's Homestyle Pretzels.  

For over 130 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. The candy and snack maker's founder, Milton Hershey, created Milton Hershey School in 1909, and since then, the company has focused on helping children succeed through equitable access to education. 

To learn more, visit http://www.thehersheycompany.com/.  

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SOURCE The Hershey Company

FAQ

When and where will Hershey present at the NACS Show Expo 2025 (HSY)?

Hershey will be at the NACS Show Expo in Chicago on Oct 15–17, 2025, booth #S5706.

What is Hershey's major product launch at NACS 2025 for HSY shareholders?

The company is highlighting the Reese's OREO® Cup, positioned as a top 2025 launch combining Reese's and OREO.

How are Hershey's salty and sweets categories performing in convenience stores for HSY?

Hershey reports salty snacks +9.5% YTD and sweets +23.2% YTD in C‑stores (2025 YTD figures).

What promotional impact does Hershey report for confectionery in C‑stores (HSY)?

Hershey cites a 56% average unit lift from confectionery promotions and a 92% lift for standard‑size bars.

What strategic retail tactics will Hershey discuss at NACS for HSY investors?

Hershey will present bundling (EDM), SKU assortment tips, vertical merchandising, and promotion strategies to boost basket size.

Will Hershey expand Sour Strips distribution and when will that affect HSY?

Hershey says Sour Strips will expand distribution in 2026, increasing its non‑chocolate confectionery footprint in C‑stores.