On Wednesday, April 1, Hershey announced that starting next year, it will revert to classic recipes for all Reese's products. This decision comes after the grandson of Reese's founder publicly criticized the company for using cheaper ingredients.

Traditionally, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups have been crafted with real milk or dark chocolate along with peanut butter. However, certain Hershey's and Reese's items, such as mini Easter eggs, have been produced with a coating that contains less chocolate.

Hershey plans to return these products to their original milk chocolate and dark chocolate recipes by 2027.

Additionally, the Hershey, Pennsylvania-based company will implement other changes to its candy lineup next year, including a move to natural colors and an enhancement of the Kit-Kat recipe to improve creaminess. The company also intends to boost its research and development budget by 25% in the coming year.

"Hershey is committed to making products consumers love, which involves continuously reviewing our recipes to align with changing tastes and preferences," the company stated.

The controversy was sparked by Brad Reese, the grandson of the inventor of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, who sent a public letter to Hershey's corporate brand manager on Valentine's Day.

In his letter, which he shared on LinkedIn, Reese questioned, "How does The Hershey Co. continue to position Reese's as its flagship brand, a symbol of trust, quality, and leadership, while quietly replacing the very ingredients (milk chocolate + peanut butter) that built Reese's trust in the first place?"

While Hershey admitted to some recipe alterations, the company claimed these changes were in response to consumer demand for innovation. Rising cocoa prices have also pushed Hershey and other manufacturers to experiment with using less chocolate in recent years.

The Associated Press reached out to Brad Reese for comments on Wednesday.

Brad Reese is the grandson of H.B. Reese, who worked for two years at Hershey before establishing his own candy business in 1919. H.B. Reese invented Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in 1928, and his six sons later sold the company to Hershey in 1963.