The Hershey Company announced the launch of a plant-based Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Tuesday, which uses oats instead of cow’s milk.
Hershey also announced the upcoming rollout of a plant-based extra creamy chocolate bar with almonds and sea salt.
The almond and sea salt oat chocolate bar is projected for an April release.
Both offerings fall under the Hershey “Better For You” category, a collection of products aimed at health-conscious consumers.
Other offerings include low or no-sugar options, high-protein products, and portion-controlled products.
Still, the plant-based Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have 210 calories per serving — same as the milk chocolate version.
“Our purpose is to create more moments of goodness for consumers. Those moments are now more accessible for chocolate lovers looking for plant-based alternatives,” Teal Liu, brand manager of the “Better For You” category, said.
As for the price, the plant-based products will cost more, but retailers will be left to determine the specific prices at their stores.
Hershey tested in 2021 a trial oat chocolate product, as well as a fully organic but non-vegan Reese’s version.
While European and British markets already feature vegan KitKats and Cadbury bars respectively, vegan offerings in the U.S. have been limited to makers of organic chocolate and higher-priced premium brands.
