HERSHEY, Pa. — The Hershey Company began national retail distribution of its new Katseye-branded crème bars on Thursday, a co-branded product designed to draw younger consumers to the chocolate maker's slowing core business.

The partnership pairs Hershey with Katseye, the six-member pop group formed through the HYBE and Geffen Records "Dream Academy" competition. Hershey executives have said the collaboration targets Gen Z shoppers, a demographic the company has struggled to retain as snacking habits shift and cocoa prices strain margins.

The crème bars, sold in limited-edition packaging featuring the group, are being distributed through major US grocery and convenience retailers alongside a social media campaign. Hershey has leaned on celebrity and cultural tie-ins as cocoa costs remain historically elevated, squeezing profitability across its chocolate portfolio.

Analysts covering consumer staples have noted that legacy confectioners including Hershey and Mondelez face pressure from health-conscious younger buyers and premium challenger brands. A Hershey spokesperson said the Katseye line was intended to make the brand "culturally relevant" to a new generation of snackers.

The launch follows a series of pop-culture marketing efforts by the company, which has increasingly used entertainment partnerships to counter volume declines in its traditional chocolate aisle.