Hershey 'pieces' together candy puzzle

NEW YORK Hershey recently revamped one of its candy formats by adding new flavors to the line.

Building off the success of the popular Reese’s Pieces candy, the new Pieces candies offer snackable, bite-sized versions of classic favorites including York, Almond Joy and Hershey’s Special Dark. The new candies debuted in late January at New York's Times Square.

The candies debuted in a new television spot, features the tagline, "Your favorites-- now in pieces." While the new wave of candy may spell success for Hershey, which recently has made headlines for exercising options to bid on Cadbury jointly with Italian chocolate maker Ferrero (the company said it will be acquired by Kraft), some say their may be a backlash, because some of the candies do not have the same texture as its larger predecessor.

For example, "Candy Blog" writer Cybele May said the York Pieces are missing a key ingredient: the creamy peppermint center. Instead, the pieces are filled with peppermint-flavored dark chocolate. This drawback, however, may not necessarily hinder the line's success. For those looking for a sweet and portioned snack, it may be just the ticket.

“The point is that it gives people the option to eat less and more sensibly,” Marcia Mogelonsky, a senior analyst at Mintel, told the New York Times. “Sure, half of us are going to pour the whole bag into our mouths, but some are going to exercise restraint.”