Hershey's Kissables Were The Discontinued M&M's Copycat That Totally Fell Flat - The Daily Meal (2024)

Culture Food History

Tyler Frey

According to a YouGov poll, 85% of those surveyed took a positive view of M&M's (they were voted the most popular American candy). While Hershey's Kisses made an equally good showing, as the chocolate candy enjoyed a favorable rating according to 83% of those who responded to the poll, the iconic chocolate company wanted to horn in on M&M's impressive popularity. The result was Hershey's Kissables, which Fast Company describes as candy-coated mini versions of Hershey's Kisses.

Kissables first came on the scene in 2005, and candy fans were apparently excited by the brand-new treat. All that changed just two years later when Hershey made significant changes to its Kissables recipe. Concerned about the cost of the cocoa butter that was used to create the candy-coated treat, the company decided to use lower-quality ingredients to save a few bucks. The change in flavor was so profound that the candy quickly plummeted in popularity and was ultimately discontinued just four years after its debut. The use of poor-quality chocolate ingredients also changed the chocolate candy's categorization, as it failed to meet criteria set forth by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

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Per Fast Company, Hershey's Kissables could no longer be classified as milk chocolate after the change to its recipe. Instead, the confection would be known as "chocolate candy" because it no longer met the federal standards for milk chocolate.

As explained by the Code of Federal Regulations, different types of chocolate products must meet certain standards to bear a specific designation. When it comes to milk chocolate, products bearing this label must contain at least 10% chocolate liquor correlating to the product's weight. Chocolate liquor is defined as finely ground cacao nibs, aka pulverized cacao beans. Milk chocolate products are also subject to other requirements per federal regulations. This includes a minimum of 3.39% milkfat, as well as at least 12% milk solids, which are the powders that remain when liquid is extracted from milk. While the change to Hershey's Kissables led to its untimely demise, fans of the candy still remember its glory days fondly. As a result, many wonder whether they'll ever be able to sample the treat again.

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Fans of Kissables launched a Change.org petition in 2021 requesting that the candy be brought back to store shelves. The petition currently has 1,452 signatures, just 48 signatures short of its 1,500-signature goal. Signers of the petition were nostalgic about the candy, with some claiming that it remains a major aspect of fond childhood memories. One commenter also demanded that Hershey use its original recipe if the company chooses to bring back the beloved treat.

Hershey's Kissables have also captivated TikTok, with numerous content creators pining about the long-gone confection. One TikTok video details the rise and fall of the candy brand, while also revealing that Kissables included a few special editions, including a dark chocolate version. Despite its lasting popularity, there's no indication that Hershey has plans on ever bringing back Kissables. Fortunately, fans of the candy can still enjoy M&M's, which don't appear to be going anywhere any time soon.