The True Origin Story Of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Education, Entertainment, Food, History, Scientific 7 Minutes

Seriously, is there anything better than the heavenly mix of chocolate and peanut butter? There’s something about Reese’s that’s just right. It doesn’t matter if you’re craving something sweet or something salty, Reese’s has you covered.

The Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup is the third most popular candy in the US (passed only by M&Ms and Hershey’s), and of all those surveyed, an overwhelming 81 percent liked them. (Only 6 percent didn’t, and who are those people?) The data is interesting: for the most part, people can agree that Reese’s are delicious, regardless of what generation they belong to. When someone wonders what millennials and boomers have in common, the answer is, “A love of Reese’s.”

Reese’s had very unlikely beginnings

While you might expect the culinary genius behind Reese’s to be a lifelong candy-maker, that’s not the case at all. The “Reese” that the candy was named for is creator Harry Burnett Reese, and according to the Hershey Archives, he labored away at a long list of jobs before he even came up with the idea of making candy. He was a factory worker, a farmer, and he even managed a fish hatchery, all before becoming a dairy farmer employed by none other than Milton Hershey.

Even then, the road to success wasn’t a straight one. Reese found himself needing to make some extra cash to support his growing family, and in 1919, he met a man at a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania market who gave him a recipe and asked him to make hard candies. It didn’t work — the candies stuck together — so it was back to the drawing board. Reese tried making a candy bar named for his daughter, a coconut caramel bar, and finally, he started making candies with various centers covered in chocolate. Originally, the chocolates came in assorted boxes: centers were cherry, dates, coconut, and, of course, peanuts. Starting to sound familiar? It absolutely should, because it was the foundation of a great idea.

Reese and Hershey were a match made in heaven

According to Business Insider, Reese always used fresh ingredients for the centers of his candies, as well as Hershey’s chocolate. He had started on one of Hershey’s dairy farms in 1917 before he eventually made the jump to working in the chocolate factory. Reese was still working for Hershey when he decided to strike out on his own. He quit his job in 1923, but first, he went to Hershey and asked for his permission not just to quit, but to set up his own candy company. Hershey said yes under the stipulation that all of Reese’s chocolate had to come from the Hershey company.

He agreed, and five years later, a simple suggestion would change the course of the company. A shop owner Reese was visiting on a sales call asked him if he could make something that was peanut butter on the inside and chocolate on the outside. Fortunately, he said he could, and it would go on to become the company’s flagship product.

Here’s why Reese’s only makes peanut butter cups

Reese’s started out making all sorts of candy, so why do we only get peanut butter cups today? Part of the reason is just that they were an outstanding success – when Reese was first trying to figure out how to make his peanut butter cups, he roasted his peanuts to the point where they were on the verge of burning — and that’s what still gives Reese’s peanut butter that oh-so-distinctive, unmistakable taste. Times were tough but sales were strong, and he was able to weather the lean years of the Great Depression.

But then came World War II and with it, food rationing. Sugar was on the top of the list of ingredients that were suddenly in limited supply. Some of his candies simply had to go and in the end, he kept only the peanut butter cup. It was a practical decision that ended up being a very good one since his peanut butter cups required the least amount of sugar to make.

Reese’s had an unusual ad campaign strategy

Ad campaigns can make or break a product, and in the case of Reese’s, their biggest ad campaigns definitely helped raise their profile. While you might think a well-established brand would want to market their longevity, Reese’s did the opposite. They launched a major 1970s campaign by pretending the candy was something new and that most people didn’t even like the idea of chocolate and peanut butter together.

The premise was simple: ads showed two people, one eating chocolate and one eating peanut butter. The people would collide and say, “Hey, you got peanut butter on my chocolate!” and “Hey, you got chocolate on my peanut butter!” They would then suddenly realize the amazing combo.

Reese’s Pieces stuck around because of E.T.

In the 1970s, Hershey launched a new product that they originally called PBs. These candy-coated peanut butter bits were eventually renamed Reese’s Pieces, and you’d think that the name “Reese’s” would have been enough to make them a major hit. At first, they kind of were. The candies had a successful launch, but according to the Hershey Archives, it wasn’t long before sales started tapering off. That’s not something any company wants to see, so when they got a phone call from Universal Studios, it was a big deal.

The phone call was about a movie called E.T., and Universal wanted to let Hershey know that Reese’s Pieces were going to be in the movie. Not surprisingly, the candy company jumped at the chance to help promote the movie. Hershey took a gamble and agreed to give Universal around a million dollars worth of marketing for E.T. without even seeing a script. Remember, in hindsight, we know what a huge hit the movie was, but at the time, Hershey was essentially taking a chance with a hefty wad of cash.

It paid off. Sales of Reese’s Pieces skyrocketed, and supposedly, it only happened because someone else had said “No,” first — and that was M&Ms.

Some Reese’s have a lot more peanut butter than others

Sure, the chocolate is great and all, but it’s Reese’s unique peanut butter that makes them amazing. If you’re in Camp Peanut Butter, you should know that not all Reese’s are created equal — and fortunately, someone’s done the math so you know just what you should splurge on. Redditor Rustid took a handful of various Reese’s candy, scraped out the peanut butter, and weighed it to come up with a definitive chocolate-to-peanut butter ratio rating. The findings are pretty surprising, and include the fact that the Small Heart contains the least amount of peanut butter — just around 19 percent! Yikes!

On the flip side, there’s the egg and the heart, which have a much more generous amount of about 60 percent peanut butter. The pumpkin and the King Size come in just below that with a touch over 50 percent peanut butter. That means all you peanut butter lovers out there should probably keep in it in mind that Valentine’s Day and Easter are the time to stock your year’s stash. What about those that are on the bottom? Minis come in pretty low on the ratio, too, as they’re around 28 percent peanut butter. Now you know, and you can plan accordingly.

If you get a bad Reese’s, they’ll replace it

No one’s perfect, and sometimes, things slip through the cracks. That’s even happened with Reese’s, and there’s a valuable lesson to be learned here — if you get a Reese’s without the peanut butter, definitely reach out to them on social media. In 2018, an Iowa man named Alex Hentges headed over to their Facebook page to post about his peanut-butter-less Reese’s and ask the company what the heck was going on.

They responded, and Today says that at first, they told him they were going to be sending him some coupons to replace his defective Reese’s. When mail showed up a few days later, it was something much more substantial. Hentges received a letter of apology and a massive box containing about 5 pounds of various Reese’s candy. Win!

While they said that they weren’t sure just how that particular cup missed getting its peanut butter, they said: “…The brand had to make things right!” Now that’s just great customer service.

There’s a scientific reason Reese’s taste so good

Reese’s mix of chocolate and peanut butter is nothing short of magical, and it turns out that there’s a scientific principle at work here. According to Penn State University professor of food science Gregory Ziegler (via Mic), it’s something called “dynamic sensory contrast.” What’s going on here is that your taste buds essentially love it when you eat something with completely contrasting textures — like the smoothness of the chocolate and the slightly crunchy peanut butter.

Couple that with another contrasting combination — the sweetness of the chocolate and the saltiness of the peanut butter — and you’ve got a winning team that no one can resist. There’s a catch, though — these contrasting flavors and textures are so good that it makes you sort of forget how much you’re eating. Ever powered your way through half a bag of Minis without realizing it?

It wasn’t you just being a glutton, it was science! Essentially, these contrasting flavors can taste so good it overrides our sense of feeling full. The principle is also called the “ice cream effect,” and it’s why there’s just always room for ice cream even after the biggest of dinners.

If you’ve never used Reese’s in a cocktail, you’re missing out

Sure, we’ve all had Reese’s on their own, and you’ve probably even baked with them, too. But have you had them in a cocktail? No? Why not! First, grab a bottle of vodka and a handful of Reese’s Pieces. Take out just enough vodka that you can pour in those little candy nuggets of deliciousness, replace the top, and let it sit. It might have to hang out on the top shelf for a few days, but it’s worth the wait. The vodka will be infused with all that Reese’s flavor and when it’s done, it’s cocktail time!

It’s the perfect thing to add to a dessert cocktail. Mix with milk, chocolate liqueur, and add a dash of chocolate syrup. Sounds pretty brilliant, right? Pretty much any drink that features those ingredients — or some cream, chocolate vodka, or Irish cream — is made better with the addition of some Reese’s-infused vodka. Better still? Use it to mix up a boozy milkshake, and it’ll be your new go-to treat.

Unknown's avatar

Published by NebraskaFilly

Army veteran (1976-1979), retired with entirely too much time on my hands

Published

176 thoughts on “The True Origin Story Of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups”

  2. this does make more sense why she targeted this school

    holly08(@holly08)Offline
    Wolverine
    March 30, 2023 11:44

    Nashville shooter was having ‘private counseling sessions’ with school’s head pastor before massacre where she shot dead his nine-year-old daughter ‘because HE wasn’t on site’
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11919801/Nashville-school-shooter-private-counselling-sessions-schools-head-pastor.html
    0
    Reply
    mollypitcher5
    mollypitcher5(@mollypitcher5)Online
    Reply to holly08
    March 30, 2023 12:19

    So the 28 year old adult chooses to receive counseling from a Christian man who obviously would NOT be supportive of her lifestyle ? This is so typical of the liberal way of trying to force everyone to look at their maladjusted life and demand acknowledgement.

    It’s like setting yourself up for failure on purpose so that when you take retribution you can say it was justified because the other person was cruel and mean by not agreeing with you.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. IDK anything about this church or the pastor….however, I know first-hand about the sexual abuse that goes on in Christian churches of all stripes. There were shades of possible sexual abuse in her childhood as well, IIRC…..

      Liked by 1 person

  3. “Rookie Woman Wears Actual Clothing To Gym”
    LIFESTYLE · Mar 29, 2023 · BabylonBee.com

    “CYPRESS, CA — Members of a local gym were shocked and distracted today after a woman — who was clearly new and not familiar with the expected attire of exercising females — spent her entire workout actually wearing clothing.

    “She obviously has no idea what she’s doing,” said gym member Cody Faust. “As you can see from looking at all of the other ladies here, she’s dressed far too modestly. It’s such an unusual sight that it’s honestly really distracting.”

    Other women working out were not pleased with the fully clothed woman taking attention away from them. “Who does this girl think she is?!” asked Brittni Jackson, whose gym attire would have to be pixelated if this story were being reported on television to meet common standards of decency. “When you’re a woman coming to the gym, the first rule is to expose your body so you can get men to look at you and then become offended and angry that men are looking at you. Everyone knows this!”

    Despite the commotion going on around her, the modestly dressed woman seemed unconcerned. “I’m here to exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle,” said the woman, Rebecca Crasnean. “What am I supposed to be wearing? Almost nothing? That sounds dumb. Sorry, I’m new at this.”

    At publishing time, Rebecca had further shocked gymgoers by finishing her workout and leaving the gym without even taking a selfie or posting an Instagram story to show she had been at the gym.”

    Liked by 2 people

    1. bwahahahahahahahaha
      with phones taking videos…too many people think they are video or internet stars…it’s the ALL-ABOUT-ME generation.
      makes me sick.

      Liked by 1 person

        1. RIGHT???
          i haven’t been on fb or anything like that in a long long time…but people posting their meals and every outfit and stuff like that is mind numbing

          Liked by 2 people

  9. Liked by 1 person


  11. “It sucks to be a male anglerfish. They’re puny compared to female and incapable of surviving on their own. Immediately after hatching it latches to nearest female fusing with it for good. They lose most organs becoming a sperm banks…”

    Liked by 1 person

  12. ANOTHER SHOOTER

    BREAKING: Active shooter reported at Joint Base Andrews in Camp Springs, Maryland pic.twitter.com/yWokHI0dWq

    — Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) March 30, 2023

    Liked by 1 person

    1. federal judge rules against some obamacare provisions saying these decisions must be made by gov’t officials not by someone off the street and the task force are not gov’t officials
      FTA
      A federal judge on Thursday struck down a key provision of the Affordable Care Act, jeopardizing free coverage of a wide range of preventive services including mammograms, colonoscopies and mental health screenings for nearly 168 million people on employer health insurance and on Obamacare’s individual market.

      District Court Judge Reed O’Connor, the author of several previous rulings against Obamacare, sided with conservative employers and individuals in Texas who argued that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that set those requirements has been acting unconstitutionally since 2010. The decision blocks enforcement of the rules nationwide.

      O’Connor, a President George W. Bush appointee to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, also ruled that the requirement to cover the HIV prevention drug PrEP violated the religious rights of the employers and could not be enforced against them.

      The employers and individuals had standing to sue, O’Connor wrote, because “compulsory coverage for those services violates their religious beliefs by making them complicit in facilitating homosexual behavior, drug use, and sexual activity outside of marriage between one man and one woman.”

      The employers argued that recommendations made by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force can’t be enforced because its members are private medical experts who advise the government, not government employees.

      “The Appointments Clause says major policy decisions have to be made by an ‘officer of the United States,’ and can’t be made by just somebody off the street,” explained Nicholas Bagley, a professor at the University of Michigan whose research focuses on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

      Judge O’Connor agreed, in part, but did not grant two other requests — one based on religious rights and another based on secular cost concerns — to block the ACA’s contraception mandate. The challengers have said they plan to appeal that decision.

      The decision also does not affect access to free vaccines, which are covered under a different piece of the law.

      The ruling comes four years after the same judge found all of Obamacare unconstitutional, a decision that was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. It is also the latest salvo in a years-long fight by conservatives to undo the former president’s signature health law by chipping away at its requirements.

      https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/30/texas-judge-obamacare-00089641

      Liked by 1 person

  16. WTH? i thought they were released till next month??? fake?

    A grand jury in Manhattan has voted to indict Donald Trump – the first time in American history that a current or former president has faced criminal charges, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

    The Manhattan district attorney’s office has been investigating the former president in connection with his alleged role in a hush money payment scheme and cover-up involving adult film star Stormy Daniels that dates to the 2016 presidential election.

    This story is breaking. We will update with more details as they become available.

    https://thelibertydaily.com/marxist-alvin-braggs-grand-jury-votes-to-indict-president-donald-j-trump/

    Like

      1. Winston
        March 30, 2023 5:48 pm
        Reply to ClivusMultrum

        Trump Indicted By Manhattan Grand Jury Over Porn Star Hush Payment
        MAR 30, 2023

        https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-indicted-manhattan-grand-jury-over-porn-star-hush-payment

        The still-sealed felony indictment, which comes as 2024 campaign season comes into focus, makes Trump the first former president in US history to face criminal charges.

        The exact charges are not yet known, however the Times expects them to be announced in the coming days by the Manhattan district attorney’s office. Prosecutors working for DA Alvin L. Bragg will ask Trump to surrender and face arraignment on said unknown charges.

        Liked by 1 person

  17. I am adding a short daily prayer to the board. I would invite each of you, if you wish, to also add one or maybe two of your own liking. I do not want to stifle anyone but please limit yourself to one or two religious postings. here’s one I found that I liked.

    Like

  27. ‘You’re actually super transphobic’: Moment AOC poses for picture with Libs of TikTok creator and then STORMS OFF when she realizes who she is – and now faces ethics complaint
    Libs of TikTok creator Chaya Raichik served AOC the ethics complaint at her Capitol Hill office
    The conservative Heritage Foundation and Raichik asked the Office of Congressional Ethics to open a probe into the matter
    ‘You’re actually super transphobic, and I never want to share a space with you. Thank you,’ the lawmaker said when getting served

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11921583/AOC-faces-ethics-complaint-Heritage-Foundation-defaming-Libs-TikTok-creator.html

    Like

Comments are closed.