Anheuser-Busch invests $30,000 in Washington hop growers; Hershey’s candy bar with emojis

Anheuser-Busch announced today that it is investing $30,000 in Hop Growers of America in its commitment to its 2025 Sustainability Goals and broader agricultural community. The investment will assist HGA’s “Good Bines” program that provides educational resources on sustainability, food safety and farming best practices to hop growers.

The announcement comes during the Anheuser-Busch Brewers Collective dry-hopping summit in Kennewick, where A-B brewers and craft partners are meeting to discuss best practices and share ideas. About 68% of hops grown in the U.S. are produced in Washington state.

Hops are a large part of how A-B aids farmers. The company purchases some 3.7 million pounds of hops from U.S. growers annually, making A-B the single largest user of hops for brewing in the U.S. A-B also works directly with U.S. growers in Washington, Oregon and Idaho to purchase hops.

“Anheuser-Busch’s investments in hop research have helped to position our growers for success in a dynamic industry and changing environment,” said Ann George, HGA executive director, in a news release. “Thank you to Anheuser-Busch for supporting American hop growers and for being a key leader as we adapt for the future of our industries.”

Hershey’s + emojis

Hershey’s 125-year-old chocolate bar design is getting a makeover, CNN Business reports today. The brand is replacing its logo and etching 25 emojis – a fist pump, smiley face, ghost and more – into the rectangles of its milk chocolate bar. The redesign is the first time Hershey’s has changed its chocolate bar design since it went on sale in 1900.

However, it’s not a permanent alteration, as the milk chocolate bars are on sale for a limited time starting this summer. Hershey’s said that it will make about 25 million regular- and snack-sized emoji bars in six different packages.

“By adding an emoji design to each pip of chocolate, we hope that parents and kids are inspired to share a chocolate emoji and make a connection with someone new,” said Kriston Ohm, senior manager of Hershey’s, in a news release.

Hershey’s has made few additions to its namesake lineup. In 2017, it started selling Hershey’s Gold, a caramelized crème bar with pretzels and peanuts. It was the first Hershey’s bar without chocolate. Hershey’s began selling Cookies ’n Crème in 1995 and Hershey’s Special Dark in 1939.