Michele Buck

Michele Buck has served as Chairman, President, and CEO of The Hershey Company since 2017, becoming the first woman to lead America's largest chocolate manufacturer in its 130+ year history. The Hershey Company commands approximately 34% of the U.S. chocolate confectionery market, with Reese's as the #1 confectionery brand in America and Hershey's Kisses and Bars among the most iconic American food products. Under Buck, Hershey has expanded beyond its chocolate core into the broader snacking universe. The $1.2 billion acquisition of Amplify Snack Brands (SkinnyPop popcorn) and the purchase of Pirate's Booty brought Hershey into the salty snack category. The strategy recognizes that consumer snacking occasions are shifting — consumers increasingly choose snacks based on occasion rather than strict confectionery vs. salty categories. The company faces an unprecedented challenge from cocoa prices, which have surged to historic highs due to crop failures in West Africa (Ghana and Ivory Coast — which produce 60% of global cocoa). As a chocolate-focused company, Hershey has more cocoa exposure than diversified food competitors. Buck must navigate pricing to offset costs without destroying demand volumes. Key stock drivers include cocoa and sugar commodity prices, pricing execution, Halloween and Valentine's Day seasonal performance, salty snack portfolio growth, and competition from Mars-Wrigley and Mondelez.