Are Hershey’s Swoops Discontinued? What Happened to Swoops?

2003–2006 Food/Snacks • United States

Fate: Discontinued around 2006 after weak sales and positioning confusion.

Hershey’s Swoops were thin, curved chocolate pieces—visually similar to potato chips—packed in a rigid canister for stackable portioning. The idea rode early-2000s snack trends and leveraged Hershey sub-brands like Reese’s and York. In practice, Swoops ran into several frictions: higher unit price than bars, smaller perceived value, and a form factor that melted easily and didn’t match how people ate chocolate. Merchandising also proved awkward. Candy aisle shoppers looked for bars and bags, not canisters. Despite flavor extensions, the line was discontinued in the mid-2000s.

Timeline

  1. 2003

    • June 1 — National launch of Swoops in canisters with Hershey’s Milk & Dark variants.

  2. 2004

    • March 1 — Brand extensions roll out: Reese’s, Almond Joy, and York Peppermint Pattie Swoops.

  3. 2005

    • September 1 — Reports of poor velocity and merchandising challenges contribute to shrinking distribution

  4. 2006

    • June 1 — Product line discontinued after underperformance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What were Hershey's Swoops?

Hershey's Swoops were thin, curved chocolate pieces shaped like potato chips. They came in a rigid canister and stacked like Pringles.

What flavors did Swoops come in?

Hershey used its big sub‑brands, including Reese's, York, and others, to create chocolate "chip" versions.

Why did Hershey make Swoops?

The idea followed early‑2000s snack trends. Hershey wanted a portion‑controlled chocolate snack with a fun, chip‑like shape.

Why didn't Swoops catch on?

They cost more than regular bars, melted easily, and didn't match how people normally ate chocolate. Many shoppers felt the value was low for the price.

Why was the packaging a problem?

Candy buyers looked for bars and bags, not canisters. The shape and container made Swoops hard to merchandise in the candy aisle.

When were Swoops discontinued?

The line was dropped in the mid‑2000s after several flavor extensions failed to boost sales.

How are Swoops remembered today?

They're remembered as a fun but short‑lived experiment — a chocolate "chip" that never quite fit how people snack.

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