Leveraging the strength of the Reese's brand, The Hershey Co. has announced that Reese's is taking over the Take5 bar.
Hershey revealed Wednesday Reese’s peanut butter has been a main component of Take5 since the product’s launch in 2004. The treat also features milk chocolate, caramel, pretzels and peanuts.
“It’s time the world learns why they’ve always loved Take5 bars so much,” said Jack Wilder, Reese’s senior brand manager, “But more importantly, it’s time that the Take5 bar goes to its rightful owner, Reese’s.”
Take5 appears to be in need of a boost. Data from IRI, a Chicago-based research firm, shows Take5, tracked in the Snack Size Chocolate Candy category, pulled in $8.6 million in the year ending March 24, down 21.2 percent from the year before. Unit sales just missed 3 million over the same period.
Meanwhile, Reese's topped the same category, generating $215.59 million in dollar sales and nearly 112 million in unit sales in the year ending March 24. These figures don't include Reese's performance in other categories.
If the quantitative proof wasn't enough, the Reese’s team also conducted a test asking fans to compare the black label Take5 bar and a Reese’s Take5 bar. The results were startling — and exactly what the Reese’s team thought would happen.
As they tried both versions, participants loved the Reese’s Take5 bars — raving about the peanut butter taste and the irresistibility of the five layered ingredients. Friends battled over which version they preferred, but nearly always swearing by the Reese’s version.
After giving fans a taste of both bars, they got hit with the truth: they are the exact same. The only thing that changed is the name — from Take5 to Reese’s Take5 bars. The Take5 taste test proved what’s always been known: the Reese’s name makes everything better.
Reese’s Take5 bars will be available nationwide beginning mid-summer in 1.5-oz. regular (S.R.P.: $0.99), 2.25-oz. king size (S.R.P.: $1.69) and 11.25-oz snack-size bags (S.R.P.: $4.29).
