Folks looking to satisfy their sweet tooth this Halloween are going to get more tricks than treats, as Hershey won’t be able to meet the demand.
“We will not be able to fully meet consumer demand,” Hershey CEO Michele Buck said Thursday (July 28). Per CNN, consumers are demanding more regular and Halloween-themed candy than Hershey can make at this time.
Bad news for Halloween enthusiasts. This year, you might be out of luck in the candy aisle. https://t.co/vnJIATwg6K
— CNN (@CNN) July 28, 2022
Demand for sweets surged during the pandemic and has remained high, as has the interest in Halloween. Hershey, which has reported double-digit sales growth in the quarter compared to last year won’t be able to keep up with the upcoming Halloween demand. This is because the chocolate maker uses the same manufacturing lines for its regular and seasonal products, so they have to choose one or the other.
In addition to supply chain restrictions, the candy company has to source higher-priced dairy and scarce ingredients from other suppliers.
“We had a strategy of prioritizing everyday on-shelf availability,” Buck said. “That was a choice that we needed to make. It was a tough decision.”
Hershey is adding more manufacturing lines in the next few years, but that means that competitors like Mars Wrigley, who makes M&M’s, Snickers and Skittles, will most likely take the lead this Halloween season.