Hershey Chocolate has become the American icon for candy since World War II, when it was mass produced for soldiers. While Nestle, arguably Hershey’s largest competitor, created the idea of Milk Chocolate, Hershey has made it mainstream, highlighting its unparalleled distribution network. However, under consumer pressure, Hershey may have to soon change the taste of this American legacy due to an ingredient overhaul.

Recently, The Hershey Company announced its transition to “simple, easy to understand ingredients” for their milk chocolate and Hershey kisses with hopes for the process to be completed by the end of the year.

“We all want and deserve to know what’s in our food,” Hershey President and Chief Executive Officer, John P. Bilbrey stated, “Hershey takes pride in listening  [and understanding what consumers want]. We will continue to make our great-tasting, high-quality iconic brands that people know and love.”

Currently, the ingredient list for Hershey’s Kisses include sugar, milk chocolate, cocoa butter, lactose, milk fat, soy lecithin, vanillin, artificial flavor, PGPR emulsifier. Post- transition however, Hershey will be removing genetically modified ingredients (GMOs), Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate (an emulsifier and cheap replacement to cocoa butter), vanillin (a chemically synthesized ingredient that tastes like vanilla), and artificial flavors and colorings, and will be switching to milk without genetically modified hormones.

Considering how popular and widely adored Hershey Chocolate is among the millennial generation, Langley’s students of course had very pointed opinions on the company’s transition. “People nowadays are all hopping on the ‘healthier lifestyle bandwagon’; Hershey being an iconic brand, wants to follow where consumers go,” Junior Ronna Tahan reasoned. While this might be the case, many are worried that the change of ingredients will change the taste of Hershey Chocolate. “I think it’s a good avenue for them to explore, so I support the change, but I might stop buying this brand if it tastes odd,” said Anvitha Metpally. However, Hershey fanatics such as Junior Sarah Maebius said, “I would definitely continue to buy Hershey chocolate because I trust that they will continue to create delicious chocolate.”

With so many different companies switching up their ingredient list, the world has started on a path towards healthier living, a concept perpetuating throughout the 21st century. More natural food choices has been en vogue in popular restaurants such as Chipotle, Subway, Panera Bread and Taco Bell, all of which, have announced dropping artificial ingredients from some or all of their products. Subway has removed azodicarbonamide, a substance used in yoga mats, from its bread, while Chipotle now only uses products from non-genetically modified organisms in food preparation.

However, most of these food chains will continue to serve soft drinks containing sweeteners originating from genetically engineered corn, evidence that the idea of “healthier living” has not completely taken precedence in the food industry.

Yet in general, the world population has taken on a more healthful attitude towards watching what we eat, thus modifying foods to create a better diet.