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Despite being owned by different companies, Oreo and Reese’s are bowing to the fan’s demands and releasing a sweet collaboration.
Oreo, owned by Mondelēz International, and Reese’s, part of the Hershey Company, are introducing two new treats that combine flavors from both snacks. Team ups between rival companies are rare, and this marks a notable alliance following Mondelēz failed takeover attempt of Hershey late last year.
But both companies could use a boost as consumer demand for indulgent food has been trending lower for some time. Mondelēz reported late Tuesday a 3.5% decline in North American sales in the second quarter. Hershey is set to report its earnings on Wednesday morning.
The companies think the mashup could generate excitement as other limited-edition products have generated impulse purchases at the grocery store. And there’s already built-up momentum for this particular pairing: Consumers have been asking for a partnership for a “number of years,” according to Dan Mohnshine, vice president of US Confection Marketing for Hershey.
“Essentially, what consumers often start riffing on in social media is ‘What would go great in a Reese’s cup?’ The top brand that they consistently mention time and time again is Oreo,” he told CNN.
The first creation is a Reese’s Oreo Cup, which replaces the typical chocolate on a Reese’s cup for Oreo’s milk chocolate and white creme. It’s then filled with peanut butter and Oreo cookie crumbs.
The treat is a permanent addition to Reese’s lineup, coming in standard, king and miniature sizes. They hit US shelves in September with presale beginning August 18 on Hershey’s website.
On the Oreo side, the brand is re-releasing a version of a 2014 cookie that used Reese’s peanut butter, which was “hugely successful,” according to Michelle Deignan, vice president of Oreo US at Mondelēz. The new one has Oreo cookie crumbs in the filling.
“What we have seen since 2014 is that consumers have been begging us to bring this product back,” she told CNN, pointing out that TikTok users are frequently opening Oreo cookies and smothering them with Reese’s peanut butter.
The Oreo Reese’s cookies rolls out in September while supplies last, then returning permanently in January 2026. A presale begins August 18 on Oreo’s website.
The unusual combination comes at a difficult time for confectionaries. Consumers are cutting back on discretionary spending as the growth of GLP-1 products hurt demand for snack foods. Hershey recently announced it was hiking prices in the “lower double-digit range” because of rising cocoa costs.
The “double punch of two popular products will grab consumer attention,” said Neil Saunders, managing director of retail for GlobalData. Oreo partnered last year with Coca-Cola for a cookie based off the soda’s syrup, part of its strategy to boost sales with limited time stunts – and Coca-Cola introduced a limited-edition Oreo-flavored Coke, too.
“With volume growth in most grocery categories being flat to negative, all consumer packaged goods firms are looking for opportunities to create novel and interesting products that get consumers buying,” he told CNN.
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