HERSHEY, Pa. – The Hershey Co. will share a variety of insights and industry-leading capabilities that help retail partners unlock growth, during the National Confectioners Association’s 2021 Sweets & Snacks Expo, June 23-25 in Indianapolis. Visitors to the company’s booth (#11802) will sample new product offerings from Reese’s, Hershey’s and KIT KAT as well as hear directly from Hershey experts about how deeply understanding consumers is the key to capturing growth in a dynamic retail environment.

Consumer Insights Lead Innovation

Digital commerce, multiple fulfillment and checkout options in-store are giving shoppers more options than ever before. These options, combined with heightened expectations for safety and convenience –accelerated by the pandemic – are forcing retailers to adapt faster than ever.

“What we found, even before the pandemic, was that shoppers expect a connected experience, no matter where they are purchasing their items,” said Dave Nolen, vice president of category management and shopper insights, The Hershey Company. “Even as mission-driven trips and click-and-collect orders are increasing, we’re finding that 55-70% of shoppers purchase additional items, beyond their in-store pickup order. Whether people are shopping online or in-store, there’s a strong opportunity to get them to consider purchasing something that wasn’t on their initial shopping list.”

While retailers are addressing the needs for convenience and efficiency with reimagined front ends, Hershey sees continued growth opportunity for retailers in front-end redesign that include evolving pay points, queueing strategies and cashier-less checkout. Changes in these areas are important to meeting consumer expectations, while also helping create engagement and drive bigger baskets.

Shopping Physical and Digital Shelves

Research from Hershey, which will be officially released later this summer, found that 3 out of 4 consumers shop both online and offline, with 1 in 3 in-store purchases originating from something the shopper found online. Furthermore, 1 in 4 online purchases originate from an in-store visit.

“While the pandemic has certainly placed more emphasis on online shopping during the past year, it has also reinvigorated people’s excitement about purchasing items in-store,” said Nolen. “Although online shopping will continue to be a top way people shop moving forward and stores will continue to offer curbside orders, connected, consumer-facing platforms instore and online are the experiential game changer.”

Product Innovation and New Snacking Occasions

While Hershey’s broad portfolio of brands were among the most popular treats during the lockdown phases of the pandemic, Hershey will continue to push into new areas of snacking to meet changing consumer interests in all-day snacking occasions and better-for-you options. Among the innovations on display at the Sweets & Snacks Expo are:

• KIT KAT Thins – more than 30% thinner than the standard KIT KAT bar

• Reese’s Snack Cakes, the first-of-its-kind mid-morning cake treat

• Reese’s Stuffed with Pretzels, that offers both an indulgent treat and a feeling of satiation

• Hershey’s better-for-you line and rebrand of its Zero Sugar offerings

• Organic Hershey’s Bars and Organic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

• Whozeewhatzit – the brand’s first bar in the past decade

Spurred by the continuing at-home occasions like backyard s’mores making, baking and family movie nights, Hershey will continue to innovate through new packtypes and seasonal offerings as well as the continued development of its Hersheyland.com portal that offers inspiration, recipes and craft suggestions to support new occasions and celebrations.

Leadership from the Stage

During the Sweets & Snacks Expo, Hershey will also have two Category Management experts speaking to front end opportunities and the connected experience between the physical and digital shelf. Gina Peterson, Director, ReSET, will be discussing “The Future of Paypoints” in the Destination Retail Theater on Wednesday, June 23 at 11:45 a.m., and Thursday, June 24 at 9:30 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. She will offer an inside look at how COVID-19 and changing consumer expectations are shaping front-end redesign.

Trish Mielke, Senior Manager of Holistic Captaincy, will share her expertise on the evolution of the customer’s journey and how it requires increased options for shopping, and opportunities for engagement along the path to purchase. “Connecting the Physical and Digital Shelves” will be presented in the Discovery Theater on Thursday, June 24 at 12:30 p.m.

For more information about Hershey’s commitment to partnering with retailers to unlock growth, please visit www.thehersheycompany.com or stop by booth #11802 at the NCA’s Sweets & Snacks Expo.