Widely known as a conservative organization that markets its candy and confectionary product line in a deliberate, no-
surprises approach, Hershey has announced a special derivation of its signature Hershey Kisses Chocolates product—Hershey Kisses Deluxe—in a gift pack that will debut next month at the TFWA 20th Annual Duty Free & Travel Retail Asia Pacific Summit May 10-14 in Singapore. (TWFA is the world’s biggest duty free and travel retail association.)
The move follows a finding from research commissioned by Hershey World Travel Retail that 65 percent of purchases by Asian category buyers are for gift-giving purposes.
Hershey’s Kisses Deluxe Chocolates are billed as “sophisticated, premium chocolate treats” and twice the size of original Hershey’s Kisses Chocolates. The confections feature “a whole roasted hazelnut center, layered with delicate crisps and smooth chocolate, and enrobed in creamy milk chocolate.” The new product will be available in a 15-count stand-up bag (for those interesting in eating the treats themselves) or a 35-count acrylic box which designed as gift to bring back home for family and friends. Customer shipments will begin this coming August.
Additionally, The Hershey Company will be featuring two new travel-retail-exclusive America-themed tins at the Singapore show: The Stars & Stripes version contains Hershey’s Kisses Chocolates and the Sunrise in America version features Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures. Customer shipments begin next month.
In addition to gifting insights, results from the global confectionery study conducted by Counter Retail Intelligence in 2014 with Asian buyers, reveal that buying for snacking for one’s own consumption remain a focus as they represent more than 30 percent of all purchases.
