Hershey International Finds Sweet Success in New Consumer Rituals Born During the COVID Pandemic

Market Trends Reveal That At-Home Baking Routines are Here to Stay 

Holiday Season to Keep At-Home Baking Trend Strong  

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - 20 December, 2021:  As the global pandemic unfolded last year, consumers’ lifestyles were dramatically changed and with those changes came rapid evolution in consumer needs, attitudes and behaviors. Hershey’s Middle East quickly identified and delivered on an opportunity based on the insight that at-home baking was rapidly growing around the world as people were confined to their stay at home last year.  

With a portfolio of delicious and chocolatey treats perfectly suited to the skyrocketing baking trend, the Hershey International team went to work to tap into these trends and connect consumers to a range of products to enable their newfound love of in-home baking.  

While the brand constantly strives to being adaptive and responsive to developing trends, they ensure in providing their consumers with great quality products that help them in achieving the desired results for themselves and their families. In celebration of the festive season across the MENA region, Hershey’s exquisitely put together their “Bake the Most of the Festive Season” initiative to drive their range versatility and category relevancy. Hershey’s Middle East will be accelerating its consumer activations both in-store and at-home to drive category education and relevance.

At home, consumers will be targeted through social and digital platforms with the brand’s customized festive weekly recipes, created by expert influencers. Through an online competition, Hershey’s will also be acknowledging and rewarding consumers on their festive recipe submissions with a beautiful Hershey’s Kitchens personalized gift hamper.

At retail level, the brand will be implementing the festive theme execution, while highlighting their newly launched baking chips: Semi Sweet and Milk Chocolate variants in 200g and 425g standup packs. The main objectives are to fuel trial, reward heavy-duty bakers and the brand’s loyal customers.

Solidifying the success of Hershey’s Middle East in baking products this past year is an example of how the business works to quickly adapt to changing consumer trends, demonstrate agility and satisfy the fast-changing needs of consumers during the pandemic and global lockdowns. The fact that these trends have continued through 2021, demonstrate that these new rituals are here to stay.