The war is about to spread.
The Hershey Co, America's favorite chocolate maker, said on Wednesday it is introducing a line of chocolate spreads, including a hazelnut variety reminiscent of Nutella, which is made by the Italian company Ferrero.
The move points to the strong growth in the category; over the past five years, sales of Nutella in the U.S. have more than tripled to $240.4 million, according to market researcher Euromonitor International.
In 2012, J.M. Smucker Co. also got into the game with its Jif hazelnut spreads.
Hershey wants people to try putting the chocolate spread on a variety of foods, saying in a statement that it's a "snack enhancer" for items such as graham crackers, strawberries, pineapples and even pickles.
Anna Lingeris, a Hershey spokeswoman, noted that the most common uses for chocolate spreads are pairings with fruit. But she says Hershey will feature the "endless possibilities" for its spreads in national TV ads set to start airing on Monday.
As for Nutella, fans use it in a variety of ways, with some even saying they just eat it straight out of the jar. Its site shows the spread in a wholesome light, on what appears to be a slice of whole wheat bread, alongside a fruit and glasses of orange juice and milk. Hershey's site meanwhile features a jar of its spread amid apples, strawberries, pretzels and celery.
Hershey's spreads have chocolate flavor, but aren't primarily chocolate. Nutella's ingredients, for example, include sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa and skim milk.
Adding chocolate spreads clearly make fruits and vegetables more indulgent snacks, with two tablespoons containing about 200 calories, 12 grams of fat and 20 grams of sugar for both the Nutella and Hershey varieties.
Candice Choi
