Prof. Howard Weiss shares his insights monthly. Howard created the Excel OM and POM software that we provide free with our book.
A recent Philadelphia Inquirer article (February 19, 2026) reports that “The grandson of the inventor of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups has lashed out at the Hershey Co., accusing the candy company of hurting the Reese’s brand by shifting to cheaper ingredients in many products.”
In prior years consumers expressed dissatisfaction when Nutella reduced the amount of cocoa in its product. One reason for the change in the recipes for these two products is the high cost of cocoa. Clearly, a change in a recipe will affect inventory, material (ingredient) costs, and the supply chain.
The most infamous recipe change is probably “New Coke” which was introduced in 1985. Consumer backlash forced Coke to revert to its original recipe. Recently, Coke announced it will add a new product made with cane sugar rather than corn syrup.
Food taste and recipes can vary for a number of legitimate reasons. The recipe for Twinkies was changed in order to extend its shelf life from 25 days to 45 days. Butterfinger took an alternative approach and double-wrapped its candy. Several food processors have changed recipes in order to eliminate certain food dyes or additives or reduce sodium, including Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and Turkey Hill ice cream.
The same product may have a different recipe for sales at bulk stores rather than supermarkets. Colas may have a different amount of corn syrup in bulk stores.
Sometimes recipe changes are inadvertent. In one case consumers complained about the taste of meals they cooked using 4C Italian Bread Crumbs. 4C investigated and found that trace amounts of cinnamon were in the bread crumbs and should not have been. There are many examples of bacteria being in processed food which would affect the health of the person eating the food. This is different. There is a processing problem but it will NOT cause health issues just taste issues.
The repercussions of food quality are different than the repercussions of food safety. Food safety problems can lead to recalls, liabilities, brand damage and penalties. Failure to maintain taste can result in brand damage and product returns.
Classroom discussion questions:
1. Identify other products in which change resulted in complaints or safety issues.
2. What are the main changes these days to food products?