The Discontinued Bite-Sized Hershey Snack That We Might Not Want Back
Hershey has been around for quite a while, selling chocolate to sugar-hungry Americans since the 1900s. And when you're a company that old, you're bound to have a few major successes under your belt — Hershey's bars (obviously), Reese's peanut butter cups, Hershey's Kisses, the list can go on. On the other hand, you may also have had a few products that didn't quite take off as well as you were expecting. Not everyone can have a perfect track record and that also applies to Hershey.
One such product that Hershey was forced to discontinue was known as "Bites." These were exactly what they sounded like: bite-sized balls of chocolate that came unwrapped in a large sharing-size bag. The candies came in the form of Hershey's Bites, Reese's Peanut Butter Bites, Hershey's Pretzel Bites, and even as miniature versions of popular candies like Rolos, KitKats, and York peppermint patties. Unlike some other failed products, the concept seemed generally appealing. After all, who wouldn't love dumping out a handful of tiny peanut butter cup balls or popping some miniature KitKats on a long road trip?
But it wasn't the flavor or idea behind Bites that wound up being their downfall. Instead, these tiny confections became viewed, surprisingly enough, as a health hazard, especially when it came to young children.
Parents feared that Bites could become a choking hazard
Little kids love anything small, bite-sized, and most importantly, related to candy. But it was this very idea — that youths, being young and not knowing any better, would try to stuff their faces with little chocolate balls — that made parents feel apprehensive about purchasing Hershey's Bites. For many adults, there existed a fear these candies could become a choking hazard in a delicious, chocolatey disguise.
In 2007, following outspoken concern these candies could be dangerous, Hershey discontinued the Reese's Bites product before removing the entire line of Hershey's Bites in the following year. While there were, to be sure, other factors that could have very likely played a role in the discontinuation of the product, threats to safety are to be taken seriously and Hershey just couldn't brush this off without a firm response to the matter.
Although it is understandable the company had to discontinue the Bites product line, it's certainly not the only company that has received such backlash. In 1997, Nestle was forced to remove its Wonder Ball (alternatively known as Nestle Magic) — a hollow chocolate ball with a plastic toy inside of it — from the market due to parental outcry. It goes to show that, when it comes to dealing in confectionaries, one has to ensure their product is not only marketable, but that it can also withstand extreme scrutiny from the public — whether that be in taste or safety.
People still hold a torch for Hershey's Bites
While the size of the Hershey's product played a role in the '07 discontinuation of Reese's Bites, there seemed to be no complaint about how the treats tasted. In fact, some people still apparently long for the day that their beloved Bites will make it back to stores.
A Change.org petition was even made to convince Hershey to put the product back on shelves. As of 2023, it sat at about 1,000 names (out of a 1,500-signature goal), meaning there's a small — but noteworthy — number of people who share a love for Reese's Bites. Some of the comments on the petition lament that fears of a choking hazard caused them to be discontinued, while other comments look back on the candies with fondness and nostalgia.
Oddly enough, Hershey has brought the product back — although not in the sense that they're returning to grocery aisles. You can actually order Hershey's Bites online in your choice of 1.8-ounce tubes or a 7.5-ounce bag. The only flavors available for purchase, however, include Milk Chocolate Cookie Bites, Cookies 'N' Creme Cookie Bites, and Milk Chocolate Pretzel Bites. While they may not be the exact same as the original Hershey's version, it's still good to know you can at least purchase a similar product if you're craving something bite-sized.