As you may have read in an earlier article, we queried Hershey’s customer service weeks ago by phone, e-mail and tweet for a definitive answer regarding how their chocolate Easter bunnies were manufactured with regard to peanuts and tree nuts.
After receiving vague responses that skirted our questions, we reached out to Jeff Beckman, Hershey’s Director of Corporate Communications, with an e-mail requesting explicit guidance on the facilities and lines where their chocolate bunnies are manufactured.
After two weeks of silence on an issue that could (should) have been easily resolved with a quick call to QA, we finally received the following two official responses from the company:
Hi Dave,
Sorry for the delay. I did hear back from our QA team. The reason for the delay is because you mentioned “solid bunny” without any size or packaging associated with it. It took some time to confirm that we have at least four different solid bunnies that are made in five different locations. Some carry an allergy information statement and some don’t.
Regarding the HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate SNAPSY Bunny, I can confirm that the line where it is made does not run peanuts or tree nuts. It is made on a separate dedicated line that does not run any nuts. In addition, there are no peanuts in that facility.
We understand the importance of providing accurate information when responding to nutrition and health-related questions or concerns. That’s why we believe it is important for consumers to check the ingredient label each time they make a purchase. The location where a product is made or the allergen situation at a particular plant can change over time. It’s important to keep in mind that the information on the label of any of our products is accurate.
We would also like to assure you that we take food allergies very seriously at The Hershey Company and have strict procedures in place to prevent crossover of allergens into other products that do not contain the allergen. In instances where we have a concern about possible cross-contact by a major allergen, we take the added precaution of including an allergy information statement on the label. As always, the single most important thing you can do to maintain an allergen-free diet is to carefully read all product labels prior to each purchase.
If your readers should have additional questions, please call us at 800-468-1714, weekdays, 9 am – 4 pm ET. Any of our Consumer Representatives will be glad to assist you with any questions you may have regarding our products.
Thanks.
Jeff
Followed by:
Just want to make sure you got the earlier message. On the solid chocolate bunnies, we would need a specific size or SKU or picture to answer allergen questions since there are several made in different plants.
Jeff
So to summarize, Snapsy Bunny is made in a peanut-free facility that processes tree nuts on a dedicated line where tree nuts are not processed. For those with allergen concerns who avoid products manufactured in facilities that process tree nuts, this product is not for you.
Solid chocolate Easter bunnies, of which there are four varieties manufactured in five different plants, may have different combinations of exposure. You should contact Hershey’s if you have questions regarding their manufacture and origin, but we advise you to press them for the processing information of the facility and line on which that product is manufactured.
We appreciate and thank Mr Beckman for his official response.
Once again, we call on Hershey’s to provide more detailed information about the manufacture of their products in regard to the processing of allergens. The public has a right to know which allergens are processed in the same facilities and on the same lines as the product they are inquiring about so they can make their own determination whether it is appropriate to serve their families.
