Hershey strikes deal with UK grocers

Hershey is to start selling its chocolate in the UK for the first time on a mass scale in Asda and Sainsbury’s next year.

Asda, owned by the US retailer Walmart, will sell a range of Hershey products – including Hershey’s Kisses – in the majority of its UK food stores in the first three months of 2011. Sainsbury’s will sell Hershey’s Kisses in its larger supermarkets from the first quarter of next year.

The move is part of a wider initiative to take over sales outside of North America, Asia, Latin America and now Europe, currently dominated by Cadbury, Mars, Lindt and Ferrero.

Hershey set up a European subsidiary in August and it is also seeking to hire a manager for a European and Middle East travel retail division, who would expand its distribution.