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LIST OF HERSHEY ACQUISITIONS
- 1963: H.B. Reese Candy Company
- 1977: Y&S Candies
- 1986: Luden’s
- 1988: U.S. Cadbury manufacturing rights
- 1996: Leaf Candy Company (American operations)
- 2004: Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation
- 2005: Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker
- 2005: Joseph Schmidt Confections
- 2006: Dagoba Organic Chocolate
- 2011: Brookside Foods Ltd.
- 2015: Krave Jerky
- 2016: barkTHINS
- 2017: Amplify Snack Brands
- 2018: Pirate Brands
- 2019: ONE Brands LLC
- 2021: Lily’s Sweets
- 2021: Dot’s Pretzels and Pretzel Inc.
- 2023: Weaver Popcorn Manufacturing
- 2024: Sour Strips
H.B. REESE CANDY COMPANY
The merger in 1963 brought Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups into The Hershey Company through a tax-free stock exchange that would later represent billions in value.
Y&S CANDIES
Hershey acquired Y&S Candies in 1977. It brought the Twizzlers brand into its portfolio after over 130 years of independent operation.
LUDEN’S
Hershey’s briefly ventured into healthcare products in 1986 when they bought Luden’s cough drops. But they later sold the brand in 2001. Only keeping the 5th Avenue candy bar brand.
U.S. CADBURY MANUFACTURING RIGHTS
In 1988, Hershey secured U.S. manufacturing rights for Cadbury products except for gum and mints.
LEAF CANDY COMPANY (AMERICAN OPERATIONS)
The acquisition of Leaf’s American operations in 1996 brought in six major brands into the Hershey portfolio, including Jolly Rancher and PayDay.
MAUNA LOA MACADAMIA NUT CORPORATION
Hershey bought the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation in 2004 to try their luck in premium nuts before selling it in 2023.
SCHARFFEN BERGER CHOCOLATE MAKER
Acquiring Berkeley’s Scharffen Berger in 2005 marked Hershey’s entry into premium chocolate manufacturing.
JOSEPH SCHMIDT CONFECTIONS
In 2005, The Joseph Schmidt Confections was acquired, which further strengthened Hershey’s position in artisanal chocolates.
DAGOBA ORGANIC CHOCOLATE
Wanting to get into organic chocolate, Hershey bought Dagoba Organic Chocolate in 2006.
BROOKSIDE FOODS LTD.
The acquisition of Brookside Foods in 2011 brought fruit-flavored confections to Hershey’s Canadian market.
KRAVE JERKY
The Krave Jerky acquisition in 2015 and the subsequent 2020 sale marked Hershey’s brief experiment with premium meat snacks.
BARKTHINS
In 2016, Hershey acquired barkTHINS for $290 million, helping them solidify their presence in premium chocolate snacks.
AMPLIFY SNACK BRANDS
Hershey’s largest purchase was for $1.6 billion in 2017 when they bought Amplify Snack Brands, helping them to compete in the popcorn market.
PIRATE BRANDS
The $420 million Pirate Brands acquisition in 2018 strengthened Hershey’s position in cheese-flavored snacks.
ONE BRANDS LLC
ONE Brands’ $397 million acquisition in 2019 brought Hershey into the protein bar market.
LILY’S SWEETS
Looking for a low-sugar candy lineup in 2021, Hershey acquired Lily’s Sweets for $425 million.
DOT’S PRETZELS & PRETZEL INC.
Hershey’s $1.2 billion acquisition of Dot’s Pretzels in 2021 included both the brand and its manufacturing capabilities.
WEAVER POPCORN MANUFACTURING
In 2023, Hershey purchased two popcorn manufacturing facilities to strengthen their snack production capacity.
SOUR STRIPS
The Sour Strips acquisition in 2024 brought a social media-driven sour candy brand into Hershey’s contemporary portfolio.
