If a Reese's lands in the trick-or-treat bag this weekend, it comes with a story. In February 2026, Brad Reese, grandson of the man who invented the cup, wrote a public letter to Hershey on Valentine's Day, posted on LinkedIn. His complaint: the company had quietly swapped the milk chocolate and peanut butter that built the brand's trust.
That's a bold Valentine's card. And it worked, sort of.
Grandpa's kitchen, 1928
Harry Burnett Reese used to work for Hershey. He made candy at home, and in 1928 he came up with the peanut butter cup. It sold so well that in 1963 his six sons sold the company to Hershey. So yes, the most famous Hershey product in many kids' bags was born in somebody else's kitchen.
How a cup is made
It starts with peanuts from the south-east of the US. They're cleaned, sorted and roasted, then ground into peanut butter. Hershey says the roasting happens fresh on site, and the result is its own secret "peanut cup butter", not the stuff from a jar.
"The way we make that peanut butter, I would love to eat it right off the line if I could," says Jon Corbin, who runs Reese's chocolate production. Honestly, same, Jon.
Then the line takes over. Little paper cups are pressed into the famous ridged shape and half filled with chocolate. Once that bottom layer sets, a "plug" of peanut butter drops on top.
Here comes my favourite part. The conveyor belt shakes the cups so the peanut butter spreads out evenly to the edges. Then the top layer of chocolate goes on, and a puff of air smooths it flat. That's the whole magic: shake, then blow.
The cups cool for about 30 minutes, then they're wrapped and shipped around the world. According to figures quoted from Food Network, a year's production would circle the Earth seven times if you lined them up.
The new factory in Chocolate Town
Since April 2025, the cups are made in a new plant in Hershey, Pennsylvania, the Reese Chocolate Processing facility. It's the first factory the company has built in its hometown in more than 30 years. The old boxes even said it: "Made in Chocolate Town, so they must be good".
After Brad Reese's letter, Hershey invited local TV station CBS 21 inside to film the line, to show the cups are made the same old way.
So, did the recipe change?
Both sides were partly right. Hershey says the classic cup recipe never changed and is the same in every factory that makes it. But it admitted that some newer products, like mini Easter eggs, had moved to a coating with less real chocolate. Cocoa prices have been very high, and many candy makers have been using less chocolate.
On 1 April 2026, which wasn't a joke, Hershey announced that from 2027 all Reese's products will go back to classic milk and dark chocolate. It also promised natural colours and a creamier Kit Kat.
What it means for you
If you're a cup purist, the classic one is the one to pick. If you love the seasonal shapes, check the label: words like "chocolate candy" instead of "milk chocolate" usually mean less cocoa. And next year, Hershey says, that difference disappears.
Grandpa Reese would probably be pleased. A grandson who reads the ingredients list? That's love.