Hershey Struggles to Meet Salty Snack Demand
Supply constraints are limiting production of its salty snack brands as demand has outpaced output.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Consumer Goods
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Hershey is struggling to meet demand for its salty snack brands, including LesserEvil, SkinnyPop, Pirate's Booty, and Dot's Pretzels. The company's salty brands brought in $1.3 billion in fiscal 2025.
Why it matters
Supply shortfalls at a major snack maker can leave store shelves short of popular products and affect how much consumers can buy at retail. The challenge also comes as sales of many snack foods are declining, which makes the demand picture for the category more complicated.
Hershey's salty snack brands generated $1.3 billion in fiscal 2025, with Dot's contributing $626 million in the past year and third-quarter sales rising 9%. The extraction does not say when production will catch up with demand beyond the manufacturing expansion planned for 2027.
The players
Hershey
Hershey is a major American confectionery and snack company best known for its chocolate brands, which has expanded into salty snacks through acquisitions and product lines.
The details
Supply challenges affecting Dot's and multipack products have limited production for at least two quarters. Service levels improved in the third quarter compared with the prior three months, though recovery was slower than the company expected.
Timeline
Fiscal 2025: Salty brands generated $1.3 billion in sales.
Over at least two quarters: Supply challenges constrained Dot's and multipack production.
Third quarter: Service levels improved but recovery was slower than expected.
2027: Hershey plans to add manufacturing lines.
Market Landscape
Sales of many snack foods are declining as GLP-1 weight loss drugs, which suppress cravings, gain popularity. Hershey's salty snack growth, including a 9% third-quarter rise at Dot's, shows that some brands are still expanding even as the broader category faces this headwind.
Shoppers may find some Hershey salty snacks, such as Dot's Pretzels and multipacks, harder to find while supply remains constrained. Service levels have improved, so availability should gradually get better as production recovers.
The takeaway
Consumer demand for snacks is shifting, and companies that can keep supply aligned with popular products will be better positioned to keep shelves stocked. Readers who buy these brands may notice gradual improvement as new manufacturing capacity comes online.
What happens next
Hershey plans to add manufacturing lines in 2027 to address production constraints.
Further reading
Explore more Consumer Goods coverage for context on how snack makers are managing demand shifts.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Oregon Live.
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