Bakers across the country are feeling a little burned this holiday season.
There’s a little something missing from their Hershey Kisses this year: The points of the kisses are broken off when they open the chocolate drops.
Laura Magone started the baking group The Wedding Cookie Table Community, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. She told the newspaper that a baker alerted her to the issue about two weeks ago.
Magone said when the baker called Hershey’s customer service number, she was told the company was breaking the tips of the kisses on purpose so they didn’t fall off in transit and collect at the bottom of the bags.
She wrote in a post on the Facebook page:
“Hershey has told people on this page (including me today) they are intentionally breaking off the tips of the iconic American Hershey kiss at the factory so the tips don’t break off in transit–this makes no sense. This didn’t happen when kisses were American made. (800) 468-1714. On the left–what’s advertised. On the right–what we get. Look at the current wrapping also. Not good. C’mon Hershey.”
One member wrote: “Shame,shame, shame on them! I have been noticing they are not even wrapped like they use tie be. Sorry ,but if it suppose to be wrapped ,it doesn make me want to eat them ,much let alone use them for baking .This day and age,I don’t want to take any chances.”
Another wrote: “I won’t buy them for making Peanut Butter Blossoms because I want them to look nice.”
People have also taken to Twitter:
Jeff Beckman, Hershey’s director of corporate communications, said in an email to the Post-Gazette that the company is looking into the issue and will reach out to the group’s members to donate baking items “as a thank you for their love of the Hershey’s brand and our Kisses and to heartwarm their holidays.”
“We understand that their expectations are high for an iconic brand that is more than 100 years old because they are proud of their desserts,” he said in the email.
