It’s only fitting to end our Halloween Candy Week with the undisputed champion of trick-or-treat bags everywhere — Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! For more than a decade, these perfect little chocolate-and-peanut-butter masterpieces have held the number-one spot in Halloween candy sales. But their story starts nearly a century ago, in the basement of a determined candy maker with a sweet dream.
Back in 1928, H. B. Reese, a former dairy farmer and shipping foreman for Milton S. Hershey, was hard at work experimenting with candy recipes in his Hershey, Pennsylvania basement. Inspired by Hershey’s success, he began creating his own confections — everything from caramel-and-coconut Lizzie Bars (named after his daughter) to Johnny Bars made with molasses. These homemade treats were so popular that by 1923, Reese quit his day job and founded the H.B. Reese Candy Company.
From the start, Reese used Hershey’s chocolate to coat his creations, and that partnership would become one of the sweetest in candy history. Then, in 1928, inspiration struck: after hearing about a shortage of a competing peanut butter candy, Reese decided to make his own. The result? The very first Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup — originally sold as “Penny Cups” because each one cost just a cent.
The simple yet irresistible combination of creamy peanut butter and smooth milk chocolate quickly outshone all of Reese’s other candies. Even during the Great Depression, sales soared. By 1935, Reese had paid off the mortgages on both his home and factory — all thanks to those little penny cups.
During World War II, when sugar and chocolate were rationed but peanut butter wasn’t, Reese’s Cups became even more popular. By the 1940s, production was booming and automation was in full swing. Sales doubled every four years, and the Reese’s name became synonymous with indulgence.
After Reese’s death in 1956, The Hershey Company acquired his candy empire in 1963. By 1969, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups had become Hershey’s top seller — a title they still proudly hold. Today, over 25 million cups are made every single day. In fact, Reese’s makes enough each year to give one to every person in the U.S., Japan, Europe, Australia, China, Africa, and India combined!
With more than 100 different Reese’s products now on shelves — from cookies and spreads to cereal and holiday-themed cups — the brand continues to dominate the candy world. Annual sales top $2 billion, accounting for nearly half of Hershey’s total revenue.
And if you’re curious about world records, the current title for “Most Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups eaten in one minute” belongs to Kevin “L.A. Beast” Strahle, who downed eight cups in just 60 seconds in 2017.
So as you unwrap that orange-and-brown wrapper this Halloween, remember: you’re biting into a piece of candy history — one that started in a humble basement and grew into America’s favorite treat.
Happy Halloween — and long live the Reese’s Cup!