This year, trick-or-treaters might not get their favorite chocolate bars, according to Hershey.
Earlier this week the chocolate giant announced a shortage of their most popular candies: Kisses, KitKats, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Twizzlers, York Peppermint Pattys and the famed Hershey Bar.
“We will not be able to fully meet consumer demand due to capacity constraints,” Hershey chief executive Michele Buck told analysts during an earnings call.
Hershey produces its year-round and seasonal candies at the same time using the same manufacturing equipment. But drastically increased demand has left the company unable to keep up.
“Given many of our everyday and seasonal products are made on the same line, we have needed to balance production over the past several months to improve everyday on-shelf availability and build seasonal inventory at the same time,” Buck said
While some consumers think the candy shortage might be a hoax, Hershey, like many companies, is pointing at the pandemic, as well as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as culprits in supply chain shortages.
“Germany will be impacted. That’s an area where we source a lot of equipment, supplies, as do many of our suppliers,” she said.
The inability to receive the proper ingredients has halted many candy makers. During the Easter holiday, for example, businesses ran out of PEEPS, chocolate bunnies and egg-shaped treats.
