The Hershey Company is a U.S. confectionery and snacking company built around Reese's, Hershey's, Kit Kat licensing in the U.S., Kisses, Twizzlers, SkinnyPop, Dot's, and other high-frequency snack brands.
The Hershey Company: Key Facts
- Founded: 1894 by Milton S. Hershey in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
- Headquarters: Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States.
- Leadership: Kirk Tanner has been President and Chief Executive Officer since August 18, 2025.
- Revenue: Hershey reported $11.692576B in 2025 net sales.
- Employees: Hershey reported approximately 17,550 full-time and 2,045 part-time employees worldwide at December 31, 2025.
How Hershey Makes Money
Hershey earns revenue through North America Confectionery, North America Salty Snacks, and International segments. The model depends on strong shelf presence, brand loyalty, seasonal candy occasions, retail execution, and the ability to use pricing and productivity to absorb commodity shocks.
Financial Position
Hershey reported $11.692576B in 2025 net sales and $883.259M in net income. Net sales rose, but profitability was pressured by cocoa inflation, commodity costs, and category mix.
Competitive Advantage
Hershey's advantage is its dominant U.S. confectionery brand portfolio, seasonal leadership, convenience-store presence, direct-store-delivery capabilities for snacks, and the long-term governance influence of the Hershey Trust.
Biggest Risk
The biggest risk is sustained cocoa inflation that forces more pricing, weakens demand, compresses margins, and accelerates consumer trade-down.
