Hershey is using AI to strategize for s’mores season The Hershey Company has started using new AI tools to maximize sales of s’mores ingredients in stores — including its own chocolates, as well as marshmallows and graham crackers. This year, the company started using a new proprietary AI tool developed in-house that uses computer vision and augmented reality to identify where to place s’mores displays in stores and determine how they perform based on consumer data, according to Stephanie Berman, vp of retail at The Hershey Company. Hershey also started using AI this year in its marketing-mix model to better understand real-time consumer data. “The big thing for us as we look at AI: It’s been about real-time data, it’s been about getting closer to the consumer in more real time, and it’s about partnering with our retailers on how we see the consumer behaving, so that we can iterate faster and more meaningfully with the consumer,” Berman said. “It’s all about real-time data, faster decisions and then optimization, both in-store and online.” S’mores-related sales of Hershey products have grown in the double digits year over year to date, the company said. Hershey estimates that s’mores generate $200 million to $250 million in overall sales during its peak season, roughly from Easter through Labor Day. Hershey’s sales performance was also helped by the new, limited-time-only caramel Hershey’s chocolate bar, which may inspire similar product launches next year. “We’re going to look at what that may mean for 2027 with emerging trends in the s’mores occasion, and then what may be the right proposition, knowing the success we had with our caramel item,” Berman said. Circana merchandising data shows that sales of marshmallows and graham crackers increase most around major summer holidays such as Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day,