Hershey & Shaquille O'Neal Team Up on New Candy Launch

Watch on YouTube ↗  |  January 10, 2026 at 17:04  |  16:33  |  Bloomberg Markets
Speakers
Kirk Tanner — CEO, Hershey
Shaquille O'Neal — Investor, Strategic Partner, Former NBA All-Star
Romaine Bostick — Anchor, Bloomberg
Katie Greifeld — Anchor, Bloomberg

Summary

Hershey CEO Kirk Tanner and NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal appeared on Bloomberg's The Close to discuss Hershey's new Shaq-inspired gummy candy, Slam. They highlighted the partnership as a cultural, co-created growth platform and discussed Hershey's expansion into non-chocolate categories like gummies and salty snacks amid high cocoa prices and GLP-1 concerns. Tanner framed Hershey as a sustainable long-term growth company with innovation and execution strengths. O'Neal endorsed Tanner's leadership and the partnership.

  • Hershey launched Shaq-inspired Slam gummy candy with Shaquille O'Neal.
  • Hershey CEO Kirk Tanner discussed expanding into gummies, sweets, salty snacks, and protein.
  • Cocoa prices remain high but stabilizing, pressuring chocolate makers and favoring non-chocolate options.
  • Tanner said confection has been resilient despite GLP-1 adoption, citing occasion-based demand.
  • Hershey is using portion control, permissible salty snacks, and protein to address GLP-1 users.
  • Tanner committed to removing artificial colors by 2027.
  • O'Neal endorsed Kirk Tanner's leadership and the Hershey partnership.
  • The conversation included playful product brainstorming and Shaq's Authentic Brands involvement.
Ideas
Shaquille O'Neal Investor, Strategic Partner, Former NBA All-Star 5:07
Shaq backs Hershey leadership and partnership
Shaquille O'Neal says he has a longstanding relationship with Kirk Tanner from Pepsi and believes Tanner is the right CEO for Hershey, highly respected and capable of taking the company to the next level. He presents the Hershey-Shaquille partnership as a growth-oriented relationship and a vote of confidence in management and the brand.
HSY MED
Kirk Tanner CEO, Hershey 14:55
Hershey is sustainable long-term growth company
Kirk Tanner says Hershey is a sustainable long-term growth company with a robust portfolio of loved brands, a consumer-led innovation pipeline, and executional excellence with retail partners. He believes this allows Hershey to out-market and out-execute competitors, drive core growth, and grow sustainably despite cocoa and other headwinds, supporting revenue growth, margin expansion, and profitability for investors.
HSY HIGH
Up Next
14:46
The Battle for Market Structure: Paul Grewal Warns Banks Are Re-Litigating Stablecoin Yield
CoinDesk · Jan 10
56:29
Wall Street Week | US-Venezuela Policy, Farming Without Subsidies, Robotaxis, Everest Exclusivity
Bloomberg Markets · Jan 10
1:05:08
The AI Shock Is About to Reprice Bitcoin
Anthony Pompliano · Jan 10
11:37
This One Catalyst Could Send Ethereum & Solana to New All-Time Highs w/ Matt Hougan & Ryan Rasmussen
Milk Road Daily · Jan 10
36:57
Whalen: The Government Playing Around In The Bond Market Is Not The Solution To Affordability
Julia LaRoche Show · Jan 10

This Bloomberg Markets video, published January 10, 2026, features Shaquille O'Neal, Kirk Tanner discussing HSY. 2 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Shaquille O'Neal, Kirk Tanner  · Tickers: HSY