Reese's Pieces

Reese's Pieces is a candy brand owned and manufactured by The Hershey Company. The product consists of a peanut-flavored center enclosed in a thin, brightly colored candy shell. Its pieces are generally flattened or oblate spheroid in shape and are sold primarily in orange, brown, and yellow. Unlike Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, the candy contains no chocolate in its basic form; it extends the Reese's peanut-butter proposition into a small, shell-coated format suitable for snacking, sharing, baking, and use as an ingredient in other confectionery products. The candy entered the United States market in September 1978 as a product extension intended to build on the success of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. During development, Hershey initially explored a direct peanut-butter filling, but the oil in ordinary peanut butter created problems for the texture and integrity of the shell. A team of outside scientists helped develop a peanut-flavored penuche-style filling that could be enclosed successfully. The product was first considered under the working name "PBs" before being renamed Reese's Pieces. Production used panning equipment that had previously been associated with Hershey-ets, a discontinued Hershey candy. The brand's visual identity is closely tied to Reese's packaging. The shell colors were selected to coordinate with the wider Reese's color system, with production designed around an approximate distribution of 50 percent orange, 25 percent brown, and 25 percent yellow. The candy has been sold in several package formats, including plastic bags, cardboard boxes, and cup-shaped travel containers. It has also appeared as an inclusion in other Reese's and Hershey products, including bars, baking products, and other confectionery formats. Reese's Pieces gained an important cultural and commercial boost through its appearance in the 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Hershey agreed to provide the candy for the film after Mars reportedly declined an opportunity involving M&M's. The movie became a major popular success, and the prominent use of Reese's Pieces linked the brand with Hollywood product placement and helped drive a substantial increase in consumer awareness and sales. The association remains one of the best-known examples of entertainment marketing affecting a confectionery brand. The product expanded into Canada in 1980 and entered the United Kingdom in 1996, although the UK product was produced in the United States according to the cited reference material. In 2010, Hershey broadened the wider Pieces concept with York Peppermint Pattie Pieces, Hershey's Special Dark Pieces, and Almond Joy Pieces. Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Almonds Pieces followed in 2012. These extensions used the Pieces format to connect other Hershey-owned or Hershey-associated flavor identities with a familiar shell-coated candy platform. In the 2020s, the brand was also connected to basketball player Angel Reese through an official brand-ambassador partnership. The collaboration drew on the shared surname, the enthusiasm of Reese's fan community, and the existing nickname "Reese's Pieces" used by some of her supporters. Reported activation included a customized basketball jersey using Reese's Pieces colors and an appearance by Angel Reese on a Reese's Puffs cereal box. The partnership illustrates the brand's continued use of name-based cultural associations, sports marketing, and social-media enthusiasm alongside its long-standing product-placement heritage.

Reese's Pieces was developed by The Hershey Company during the 1970s as an extension of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups franchise. Hershey sought to create a peanut-flavored candy that would preserve the recognizable Reese's taste while offering a small, shell-coated format rather than a chocolate cup. The project was initially associated with the working name "PBs." Early attempts to use ordinary peanut butter inside the shell were unsuccessful because the filling's oil migrated into the shell and weakened its texture. Outside scientists subsequently helped develop a more stable peanut-flavored penuche filling. Hershey also had to determine the appropriate shell thickness and establish a color system that would harmonize with Reese's packaging. The product launched in the United States in September 1978. Its manufacture made use of panning machines previously used for Hershey-ets, a discontinued chocolate-filled candy. The finished candy had an oblate spheroid form and a crisp shell in orange, brown, or yellow. The planned color mix was approximately half orange and one quarter each brown and yellow. Reese's Pieces were offered in multiple portable packages, including plastic packets, boxes, and cup-shaped travel containers. The first international expansion cited for the brand occurred in Canada in 1980. The most important early turning point came in 1982, when Reese's Pieces were featured in Steven Spielberg's film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Mars had declined a product-placement opportunity involving M&M's, while Hershey accepted the opportunity for Reese's Pieces. The film's large audience gave the relatively new candy broad exposure and helped transform it into a widely recognized brand. The product's connection with E.T. became a durable example of the commercial value of entertainment placement. Reese's Pieces later expanded to the United Kingdom in 1996, with the UK supply described in the cited material as being produced in the United States. The brand also became a platform for line extensions. In 2010, Hershey introduced York Peppermint Pattie Pieces, Hershey's Special Dark Pieces, and Almond Joy Pieces. Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Almonds Pieces was added in 2012. Reese's Pieces have also been incorporated into other Reese's and Hershey products, including chocolate bars and baking mixes, allowing the brand to function both as a standalone snack and as an ingredient. The brand's later marketing continued to emphasize cultural relevance and association. A notable partnership connected Reese's Pieces with basketball player Angel Reese, whose surname and fan nickname created a natural naming link. The collaboration included branded apparel and a cereal-box appearance, and Hershey described sales connected with the partnership as exceeding expectations. Together with the E.T. association, this partnership shows how Reese's Pieces has used external cultural properties and personalities to reinforce awareness beyond the product's basic ingredients and format.

• 2012

  Milk Chocolate with Almonds Pieces

  [1]Reese's Piecesen.wikipedia.org

  Hershey added Milk Chocolate with Almonds Pieces to the expanded Pieces platform.

• 2010

  Pieces line expansion

  [1]Reese's Piecesen.wikipedia.org

  Hershey added York Peppermint Pattie Pieces, Hershey's Special Dark Pieces, and Almond Joy Pieces.

• 1996

  United Kingdom launch

  [1]Reese's Piecesen.wikipedia.org

  Reese's Pieces were introduced in the United Kingdom; the cited material states that the UK product was made in the United States.

• 1982

  E.T. product placement

  [1]Reese's Piecesen.wikipedia.org

  Reese's Pieces were prominently featured in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, producing a major increase in public visibility and reported sales.

• 1980

  Canadian introduction

  [1]Reese's Piecesen.wikipedia.org

  The brand expanded into Canada.

• 1978

  United States launch

  [1]Reese's Piecesen.wikipedia.org

  Reese's Pieces entered the United States market in September as a shell-coated peanut-flavored candy and an extension of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups line.

A mass-market, highly recognizable peanut-butter confectionery positioned around colorful, portable pieces and the broader Reese's brand identity.

• Peanut-butter candy · 1978

  Reese's Pieces

  The core product is a small, oblate spheroid candy with a peanut-flavored center and a hard, colorful candy shell. The standard colors are orange, brown, and yellow, selected to coordinate with Reese's packaging. Unlike Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, the basic product contains no chocolate. It is sold in bags, boxes, and other portable formats and is also used as an inclusion in confectionery and baking products.

• Mint confectionery · 2010

  York Peppermint Pattie Pieces

  A Pieces-format extension associated with the York Peppermint Pattie brand. It was part of Hershey's 2010 expansion of the Pieces platform, applying the small shell-coated format to a mint-oriented flavor identity.

• Dark-chocolate confectionery · 2010

  Hershey's Special Dark Pieces

  A Pieces-format extension associated with Hershey's Special Dark. It was introduced during the 2010 expansion of the line and broadened the platform beyond the original peanut-flavored Reese's product.

• Nut and coconut confectionery · 2010

  Almond Joy Pieces

  A Pieces-format extension associated with Almond Joy, introduced as part of Hershey's 2010 family expansion. The cited material identifies the product as one of the early additions to the broader Pieces concept.

• Milk-chocolate and almond confectionery · 2012

  Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Almonds Pieces

  A Pieces-format product combining the milk-chocolate-and-almond flavor profile with the small, shell-coated candy format. The cited material identifies it as a 2012 addition to the expanded Pieces line.

• 1982E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial product placement

  United States

  Hershey supplied Reese's Pieces for prominent use in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial after Mars rejected an opportunity involving M&M's. The film's blockbuster performance gave the candy substantial cultural exposure and reportedly drove a dramatic rise in sales.

  Outcome. The brand became strongly associated with the film and established a landmark example of successful confectionery product placement.

  Source
• Angel Reese brand partnership

  United States

  Reese's Pieces partnered with basketball player Angel Reese as an official brand ambassador. The activation used the shared surname, the player's fan community, Reese's Pieces colors, and related cross-brand visibility including a Reese's Puffs cereal-box appearance.

  Outcome. The brand reported that sales associated with the partnership exceeded expectations.

  Source

• 2012

  Add Milk Chocolate with Almonds PiecesProduct launch

  Background

  Hershey continued extending the Pieces format after the 2010 introductions.

  Action taken

  The company introduced Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Almonds Pieces.

  Aftermath

  The launch further broadened the flavor range associated with the Pieces platform.

  Source

• 2010

  Expand the Pieces platform to other Hershey brandsProduct launch

  Background

  The success and flexibility of the Pieces format gave Hershey an opportunity to apply it to additional flavor and brand identities.

  Action taken

  Hershey introduced York Peppermint Pattie Pieces, Hershey's Special Dark Pieces, and Almond Joy Pieces.

  Aftermath

  The Pieces name became a broader product architecture rather than only the name of the original peanut-butter candy.

  Source

• 1982

  Accept E.T. entertainment placementStrategy

  Background

  Mars declined an opportunity to place M&M's in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, creating an opening for another candy brand.

  Action taken

  Hershey accepted the placement opportunity and allowed Reese's Pieces to appear prominently in the film.

  Aftermath

  The film's success sharply increased brand awareness and was associated in the cited material with sales growth of as much as 300 percent.

  Reported sales increase. As much as 300% increase (Following the 1982 release of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial)

  • Mars — Mars reportedly declined the product-placement offer involving M&M's.

  Source

• 1978

  Launch a shell-coated peanut-flavored Reese's candyProduct launch

  Background

  Hershey wanted to extend the successful Reese's Peanut Butter Cups proposition into a different candy format. Direct use of peanut butter created shell-texture problems because its oil migrated into the coating.

  Action taken

  The development team adopted a more stable peanut-flavored penuche filling, determined a workable shell thickness, and launched the product under the Reese's Pieces name.

  Aftermath

  The resulting candy became a major Reese's product and later served as a platform for additional Pieces-format extensions.

  Source

1. 1Reese's Piecesen.wikipedia.org