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HERSHEY, Pa. — The Hershey Co. is launching Lancaster caramel soft creme candy, its first brand-new confectionery brand in the United States in three decades.
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Lancaster Soft Cremes made their debut in China earlier this year. |
Hershey said Thursday that Lancaster is slated to roll out nationwide in January. The new brand is inspired by founder Milton Hershey’s original confection company, The Lancaster Caramel Co, which first produced sweet chocolate as a coating for the caramels before creating the iconic Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar.
Lancaster Soft Cremes will be available in the United States in three flavors, including caramel, vanilla and caramel, and vanilla and raspberry, and will be widely available at food, drug, mass and convenience retail channels. The candy will come in 8-ounce bags retailing for $3.99 and 4-ounce bags priced at $2.49.
In addition, the new brand will be supported by a robust integrated marketing campaign that’s due to kick off in the first quarter of 2014.
"The launch of Lancaster Soft Cremes takes Hershey back to the early days of our founder Milton Hershey and his truly innovative spirit and desire to make great tasting, high-quality products for consumers," stated Steven Schiller, senior vice president of sweets and refreshment at Hershey. "The Lancaster brand will delight all consumers looking for a rich and indulgent experience as they savor our new soft cremes that are rooted in our company’s deep history."
Earlier this year, Hershey successfully launched the Lancaster brand in China, which signaled the first time a brand launch originated outside of the United States, according to the company. The initial launch in May included three cities — Wuhan, Hangzhou and Chengdu — and is slated to be followed by a wider distribution in China next year.
