Hershey bets on savory Halloween snacks

Hershey is expanding its Halloween lineup beyond chocolate to include savory snacks like popcorn, cheese snacks, and pretzels in response to health-conscious trends and GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. Despite the shift, chocolate remains the core Halloween treat, with early-season snack-size chocolate sales rising in double digits. The company also highlights strong growth in its Zero Sugar line, and notes that sugar-free options are an important growth area. Data from Hershey’s Unwrapping Halloween and the National Confectioners Association show Hershey products dominate top Halloween candy rankings and that many parents buy treats in the summer, underscoring a long planning horizon for retailers. Americans spent about $7.4 billion on Halloween treats in 2024, comprising roughly 18% of annual confectionery retail sales. To stay ahead, Hershey is leveraging artificial intelligence to speed up product development and respond to evolving consumer preferences, including trunk-or-treat trends.