Hershey to sell cookies

Hershey Foods Corp. will augment its candy portfolio with a chunk of the cookie business. The company is eyeing convenience stores and drug stores as the most lucrative retail channels for its new venture. Hershey has been adding products such as nutrition bars and low-carb candies to address growing health concerns the United States. Company executives noted a conference call that premium items,such as the cookies Hershey will sell,are growing and profitable, despite the impact of low-carb diet trends on other categories. They estimated that the premium end of the cookie market represents about 20 per cent of the total market. Furthermore,Hershey Foods has announced the retirement of Frank Cerminara,senior vice president and chief financial officer,effective 31 December. Succeeding Cerminara will be David West, currently senior vice president and chief customer officer.West,who joined Hershey Foods in May 2001, begins his new role as CFO on 1 January 2005. Christopher Baldwin has been named senior vice president,global chief customer officer, effective 25 October 2004. Baldwin joins Hershey from Kraft Foods,where he was national vice president, field sales and logistics.