a2 Milk & Hershey to Release Co-Branded Chocolate Milk

The a2 Milk Company and The Hershey Company have announced the upcoming release of co-branded Hershey's/The a2 Milk Company chocolate milk, marking Hershey's first partnership with a premium milk company. The new Hershey's x a2 Milk collaboration will pair the two brands to provide a natural chocolate milk. 

Hershey's a2 Milk, using 2% reduced fat a2 Milk, is scheduled to hit retailers' shelves beginning in January in 59-oz. refrigerated cartons as well as in 8-oz. shelf-stable single, 6- and 18-packs.   

a2 Milk comes from cows that naturally produce only the A2 protein rather than the combination of A1 and A2 proteins contained in most dairy products. The company says this helps to avoid stomach discomfort in some people.  

"Premium milk buyers appear to want three things from chocolate milk: taste, quality and natural ingredients," says Blake Waltrip, chief executive officer, The a2 Milk Company U.S. "Partnering with the iconic Hershey's brand and using Hershey's well known cocoa in this new product guarantees great chocolate taste … pairing this with high-quality a2 Milk seals the deal in terms of delivering a delicious product that may help some consumers avoid stomach discomfort, and that all consumers can feel good about giving their families. With this partnership, we have taken chocolate milk to a whole, new level." 

"This new chocolate milk is the latest example of how we are expanding The Hershey Company into expanded better-for-you categories," says Ernie Savo, senior director of global licensing, The Hershey Company. "Partnering with The a2 Milk Company not only aligns us with a brand that is synonymous with quality and rapid growth but also selling a product that is a staple in almost every family's refrigerator. It's an excellent co-branding opportunity that we expect to yield strong results."