HERSHEY, Pa., Oct. 5, 2021 – The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY), a leader in the snacking category, will showcase how it is leaning into new instant consumables innovation and making more moments through new snacking occasions, during the 2021 National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show Expo on October 5-8 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

During the first in-person NACS Show since 2019, visitors to the Hershey booth (#4631) will discover how the company is driving trips to c-stores through key consumer insights that address evolving needs and trip missions. While consumers changed the way they shopped at c-stores during the COVID-19 pandemic, snacks innovation continues to make c-stores a destination for consumers.

“It was especially important this past year that we were able to create innovation and excitement to help drive trips, increase basket size and optimize the category, and that’s exactly what we did,” said Glenn Frazier, Director of Category Management for U.S. Convenience, The Hershey Company. “While core brands remain the bedrock of the business, new products and limited-edition products continue to make c-stores a destination for the candy, mint and gum category – a top-dollar sales category for the channel.”

SWEET INSIGHTS
Fan favorites in the candy category, including Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, Hershey’s Milk Chocolate with Almonds, Reese’s and KIT KAT®, generate 18% of category sales, and exclusive c-store launches, like Reese’s Snack Cake, continue to make the c-store channel a destination for consumers, even amid changing consumer behaviors during the pandemic.

Hershey’s key insights show that, while unplanned and “treat myself moments” remained key drivers for consumers shopping c-stores during the pandemic, with a spike in stock-up trips and larger pack purchases. Moving forward, we can expect some continued changes.

“Our insights show that consumers will still prefer to shop the channel in-store versus online and app ordering, which still represents less than 10% of transactions,” said Frazier. “We also found that while “need it now” is a top motivator for those purchasing in the category, and retailers are seeing an uptick in afternoon visits for treats and meals, more shoppers will pivot from larger pack sizes to instant consumable packs moving forward.”

Effective merchandising is also essential to sparking impulsive purchases and building baskets. Out-of-aisle merchandising throughout the store drives sales and is rooted in the consumer decision process to help shoppers locate products quickly. With 58% of category purchases partially planned or not planned at all, merchandising is critical to boosting unplanned purchases.

SHAPING INNOVATION
Armed with these key insights surrounding what customers are looking for, The Hershey Company continues to lean into its expertise as a category leader to shape new occasions for consumers. In December 2020, the company leveraged key consumer information to help innovate an iconic brand, Reese’s, in the c-store channel, launching a new product – Reese’s Snack Cake.

Hershey found that during mid-morning, people seek more indulgent treats, like snack cakes¹, and at least 50% of snack cake and nutrition bar users are open to trying new brands.² With this desire from consumers for new flavors and opportunities for occasions, Hershey set out to help bring significant innovation to the snack cake category, driving excitement for the occasions. Within six months, Reese’s snack cake became a top 10 item within the category.³

For more information about Hershey’s commitment to partnering with retailers to unlock growth, please visit www.thehersheycompany.com or stop by booth #4631 at the NACS Show Expo.

To stay up to date on Hershey’s trends and insights, visit Hershey’s company blog.

About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company is headquartered in Hershey, Pa., and is an industry-leading snacks company known for bringing goodness to the world through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to help children succeed. Hershey has approximately 17,000 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company has more than 90 brands around the world that drive more than $8 billion in annual revenues, including such iconic brand names as Hershey's, Reese's, Kit Kat®, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers, SkinnyPop, and Pirate's Booty.

For more than 125 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably.  Hershey founder, Milton Hershey, created the Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on helping children succeed.

To learn more visit www.thehersheycompany.com

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Media Contacts:
Todd Scott | The Hershey Company
(717) 215-9399
tmscott1@hersheys.com

Tamara Davis | PriceWeber
(270) 202-8516
tdavis@priceweber.com