NHL and Hershey Canada Sign Three Year Partnership Deal

Hershey's(R) Chocolate Stanley Cup(R) Becomes 'Sweetest' Addition to the NHL

TORONTO, March 10 /CNW/ - Today, Hershey Canada Inc. and the National Hockey League (NHL), unwrapped the details of their new agreement - an exclusive three year partnership in Canada. In celebration of this new partnership, Hershey Canada and the NHL(R) unveiled the one-of-a-kind Hershey's(R) Chocolate Stanley Cup(R), a milk chocolate replica of the most famous trophy in the sporting world, the Stanley Cup(R).

"Hershey Canada and all our Canadian employees are incredibly excited to be teaming up with the NHL here in Canada," says Matt Lindsay, Vice-President and General Manager of Hershey Canada. "We're looking forward to working with the NHL to bring great promotions and experiences to our Canadian hockey fans through this new partnership. The introduction of the Hershey's(R) Chocolate Stanley Cup(R) is only the beginning, there is so much more to come."

Handmade by Canadian Sitram Sharma, Master Chocolatier at Toronto's National Club, the one-of-a-kind Hershey's(R) Chocolate Stanley Cup(R) is a masterpiece and was carved from more than 150 pounds of Hershey's(R) smooth, creamy milk chocolate and took more than 12 hours to make. True to its inspiration, it stands nearly three feet high and is a life-sized replica of the original Lord Stanley's Cup.

"Hershey, like other leading consumer brands, is strategically investing in the NHL because we have a relevant and robust fan demographic, and large scale traditional and digital activation platforms on which to showcase its leadership brand portfolio," said Laurel Walzak, NHL Director of Integrated Sales. "This partnership brings together two things Canadians love - hockey and Hershey's chocolate and candy."

The new multi-year partnership will begin with a consumer promotion to support the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic(R). The promotion, which will be in stores August 2010 through February 2011, will feature prizing including a trip to the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, to attend a team practice and to skate on the official NHL ice.

Hershey Canada will develop unique and exciting consumer programs around the new partnership featuring the following brands: Hershey's(R), Oh Henry!(R), Reese(R), Twizzlers(R) and Ice Breakers(R). Hershey Canada official designations in Canada will include:

    
    -   Official Chocolate & Candy of the NHL(R)
    -   Official Confectionery Partner of the Bridgestone NHL Winter
        Classic(R)
    -   Official Confectionery Partner of the Stanley Cup Playoffs(R)
    -   Official Confectionery Partner of the NHL(R) All-Star Game
    

About the NHL

The National Hockey League, founded in 1917, is the second-oldest of the four major professional team sports leagues in North America. Today, the NHL consists of 30 Member Clubs, each reflecting the League's international makeup, with players from more than 20 countries represented on team rosters. According to a Simmons Market Research study, NHL fans are younger, more educated, more affluent, and access content through digital means more than any other sport. The NHL entertains more than 100 million fans each season in-arena and through its partners in national television (VERSUS, NBC, TSN, CBC, RDS, RIS, NASN, ASN and NHL Network) and radio (NHL Radio, Sirius XM Radio and XM Canada). Through the NHL Foundation, the League's charitable arm, the NHL raises money and awareness for Hockey Fights Cancer and NHL Youth Development, and supports the charitable efforts of NHL players. For more information on the NHL, log on to NHL.com.

About Hershey Canada

Hershey Canada Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Hershey Company (New York Stock Exchange: HSY) that manufactures, distributes and sells confectionery, snack, refreshment and grocery products in Canada. Major brands include CHIPITS(R), EAT-MORE(R), GLOSETTE(R), HERSHEY'S(R), JOLLY RANCHER(R), OH HENRY!(R), REESE(R), AND TWIZZLERS(R).

    
    For hi-res images, please visit:

    ftp://hersheynhl:[email protected]

    Username:   [email protected]

    Password:   hershey
    

NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Winter Classic and Lord Stanley's Cup are registered trademarks and NHL Network, NHL Radio and Hockey Fights Cancer are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All Rights Reserved.

(C) 2010 Hershey Canada Inc.

Hershey's, Twizzlers and Ice Breakers are registered trademarks of Hershey Chocolate & Confectionery Corporation used under license; Chipits, Eat-more, Glosette, Oh Henry! and Reese are registered trademarks of Hershey Canada Inc. Jolly Rancher is a registered trademark of Huhtamaki Finance B.V., used under license.

For further information: Lauren Cosentino, Veritas Communications, [phone], [phone], [email protected]; Kerry McGovern, NHL, [phone], [phone], [email protected]