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Brand founded in the United States, 1894 · about the brand
Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond
Decode Label Safety Score
How we got 3.9 ShowHide
Scored as a condiment: nutrition is judged on what a 15 g serving delivers — a typical single use — not on the per-100g figures, which describe a quantity of this product nobody eats. The per-100g panel is still shown in full below.
Reviewed 5 times · Methodology v3.1 (updated 8 Oct 2026) — what changed
This chocolate spread contains hydrogenated vegetable fat, a source of saturated fat, and ambiguous vegetable oil, which may contribute to high saturated fat intake. While it offers some cocoa and almond, the high sugar content and presence of artificial flavors mean it should be consumed in moderation as an occasional treat rather than a regular dietary staple. Individuals monitoring their saturated fat intake or with sensitivities to artificial flavors should be particularly cautious.
At a glance
From the declared label — not a lab testFindings to weigh
What’s favorable
- Cocoa Solids
- Almond Paste
High in sugar and saturated fat; contains hydrogenated fat and artificial flavors.
This chocolate spread is high in added sugar and contains hydrogenated vegetable fat, which contributes to its high saturated fat content. It also includes artificial flavors, which some consumers may prefer to avoid. It's best enjoyed as an occasional indulgence rather than a regular part of your diet.
Consider this product carefully if you are
- Looking for a lower-sugar option — Added sugar is 56 g per 100 g.
- Avoiding certain additives or colours — Palm oil and Hydrogenated Vegetable Fat are declared.
Declared allergens: Tree nuts, Sesame and Milk
People with these allergies should avoid it and check the pack’s own allergen statement.
Based on the declared ingredient list. This is a risk only to people with the allergy, not a general-population safety issue, so it does not lower the safety score.
Concern breakdown
Score out of 10 · higher = fewer concernsHow this product performs on each concern we check for food. This is a breakdown of the same evidence behind the score above — not a separate verdict.
Saturated fat 13 g · trans fat 0.3 g per 100 g/ml
Why the score is capped
Very high added sugar
Rule F-CAP-01
Contains trans fat
Rule F-CAP-03
Highly processed (NOVA) and high in sugar
Rule F-CAP-07
Very high saturated fat
Rule F-CAP-08
Energy-dense fried snack — 550 kcal and 32 g fat per 100 g, on added vegetable oil
Rule F-CAP-14
Flavours not disclosed — the label does not say which substance this is
Rule F-CAP-13
What's good
Contains cocoa solids for flavor and antioxidants
Includes almond paste for flavor and some nutritional value
Watch out for
Very high added sugar content, contributing to overall caloric intake
Contains hydrogenated vegetable fat and palm oil, contributing to high saturated fat
Presence of artificial flavoring substances (Almond, Vanilla)
Common allergens present: Milk Solids, Almond Paste, Sesame Oil
Ingredient Concerns safety database
Sources cited below may be Indian (FSSAI) or international (EU, US, WHO, IARC) — an international classification or law is evidence, not an Indian regulatory finding.
Palm Oil
Palm oil is very high in saturated fatty acids (~50%), which raise LDL cholesterol and increase cardiovascular risk with regular high consumption. Refined palm oil can also carry processing contaminants (glycidyl esters and 3-MCPD esters), which EFSA assessed in 2016.
Regulatory & scientific authority Source: WHO; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; EFSA CONTAM opinion (2016)
Palm Oil: regulation, sources and other products →Hydrogenated Vegetable Fat
A vegetable oil hardened by hydrogenation — including vanaspati / dalda. Labelled without "partially", it is in practice fully hydrogenated, and post-FSSAI-2021 vanaspati is reformulated to meet the 2% industrial-trans-fat cap — so it is treated as the modern, trans-FREE form rather than a trans-fat source, but it is high in saturated fat, which raises LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular risk with regular high consumption. If an oil is explicitly PARTIALLY hydrogenated it does carry industrial trans fat; either way, the product's declared trans-fat figure on the nutrition panel is the definitive check.
Regulatory & scientific authority Source: WHO; FSSAI Trans Fatty Acids Regulation 2021; EFSA
Hydrogenated Vegetable Fat: regulation, sources and other products →Decode Label Analysis
Contains Hydrogenated Vegetable Fat, a source of saturated fat. While the label declares 0g trans fat, it contributes to overall saturated fat intake, which is a cardiovascular concern.
Contains Palm Oil, which is high in saturated fat. EFSA has also raised concerns about processing contaminants (glycidyl esters and 3-MCPD esters) in refined palm oil.
Claim check
Front-of-pack marketing claims checked against this product's actual ingredients and nutrition. "Can't verify" means the label does not provide enough information to check the claim — it is not the same as the claim being false.
The product name states 'Cocoa with Almond', and both cocoa solids and almond paste are listed in the ingredients.
The label explicitly states 'PROPRIETARY FOOD: COCOA BASED SPREADS', which is a regulatory designation.
Read straight from the back-of-pack photo — quantities, sections and any disguised terms, so the small print can’t hide behind the marketing.
14 entries as printed on the label · 13 distinct ingredients (some are declared more than once).
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1.
Sugar
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2.
Edible Vegetable Oil
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Palm Oil within Edible Vegetable Oil
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3.
Milk Solids
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4.
Cocoa Solids 4.6%
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5.
Almond Paste 2.7%
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6.
Hydrogenated Vegetable Fat
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Palm Oil within Hydrogenated Vegetable Fat
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Sesame Oil within Hydrogenated Vegetable Fat
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7.
EmulsifierLecithin (INS 322)Emulsifier (322(i))
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8.
Flavours
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Artificial Flavouring Substances - Almond within Flavours trace amount
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Artificial Flavouring Substances - Vanilla within FlavoursVanilla
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9.
Edible Common Salt
Trace amounts: some named ingredients appear in token quantities or low in the list. At these concentrations a meaningful benefit is unlikely, and their front-of-pack prominence may not reflect their level in the formulation.
In label order — normally largest quantity first. Select a row for the full write-up and sources.
A blend of refined vegetable oils, judged as a single concern — a high saturated-fat source — rather than one flag per oil. The individual oils are listed below and in "What the label actually shows".
These are major food allergens named on the ingredient list. They are a risk only to people allergic to them — not a general-population safety issue — so they do not lower the safety score. Anyone with the allergy should avoid this product, and check the pack’s own allergen statement.
✓ Decode Label Assessment: Favorable ⚠ Decode Label Assessment: Concern Decode Label Assessment: Neutral
Who should take caution
About this ingredient
No detailed safety data in our database yet for this ingredient.
Learn More
| Energy | 550 kcal |
| Protein | 2.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 64 g |
| Total Sugars | 61 g |
| Added Sugars | 56 g |
| Total Fat | 31.6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 13 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.3 g |
| Sodium | 140 mg |
| Cholesterol | 10 mg |
Colour shows the per-100g level (green = low, amber = moderate, red = high), from the product's label. This is a condiment — used by the pinch or the spoonful, not eaten by the plate — so a red row here means the product is dense in that nutrient, not that a serving of it is. The score judges its nutrition on what a 15 g serving actually delivers.
Compare with other sauces spreads products
Assessed using the same Decode Label methodology, sorted by score. Each score reflects the information available for that product at the time of assessment.
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What are the ingredients in Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond?
The label of Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond lists 13 ingredients, in label order: Sugar, Edible Vegetable Oil, Milk Solids, Cocoa Solids, Almond Paste, Hydrogenated Vegetable Fat, Palm oil, Sesame Oil, Emulsifier, Flavours, Artificial Flavouring Substances - Almond, Artificial Flavouring Substances - Vanilla, Edible Common Salt. Flagged by the analysis: Hydrogenated Vegetable Fat, Artificial Flavouring Substances - Almond, Artificial Flavouring Substances - Vanilla.
Is Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond safe to eat?
Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond scores 3.9/10 on Decode Label (Concerning). This chocolate spread is high in added sugar and contains hydrogenated vegetable fat, which contributes to its high saturated fat content. It also includes artificial flavors, which some consumers may prefer to avoid. It's best enjoyed as an occasional indulgence rather than a regular part of your diet.
Why does Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond score 3.9/10?
Flagged in the score: Contains hydrogenated vegetable fat and palm oil, contributing to high saturated fat. Also noted: Very high added sugar content, contributing to overall caloric intake. Presence of artificial flavoring substances (Almond, Vanilla).
Who should avoid Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond?
The points the analysis notes are most relevant to: Individuals monitoring saturated fat intake; Those avoiding artificial flavors; Diabetics (due to high sugar); Tree-nut allergy; Sesame allergy.
Does Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond contain allergens?
Yes — the ingredient list contains tree nuts (Almond Paste and Artificial Flavouring Substances - Almond), sesame (Sesame Oil) and milk (Milk Solids). Check the allergen statement on the pack too if you have a diagnosed allergy.
Does Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond contain tree nuts?
Yes — the ingredient list names Almond Paste and Artificial Flavouring Substances - Almond. People with tree-nut allergy should treat it as containing tree nuts, and check the allergen statement on the pack too.
Does Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond contain sesame?
Yes — the ingredient list names Sesame Oil. People with sesame allergy should treat it as containing sesame, and check the allergen statement on the pack too.
Does Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond contain milk?
Yes — the ingredient list names Milk Solids. People with milk allergy / lactose intolerance should treat it as containing milk, and check the allergen statement on the pack too.
Is Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond high in sugar?
Yes — 61 g of total sugar per 100 g, above the 22.5 g per 100 g that UK front-of-pack labelling marks as high. The label declares 56 g of that as added sugar per 100 g.
Are the claims on the Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond pack accurate?
Yes — all 2 claims on the pack checked out against the ingredient list and nutrition panel.
Is Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond vegetarian?
Hershey's Spreads Cocoa with Almond is marked vegetarian.
Answers are generated from this product's own Decode Label analysis — the score, the ingredient list and the label claims shown above. Always check the pack itself for allergen and dietary information.
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Recipes change and packs get reformulated. If the ingredients or the panel on the pack in your hand differ from what we show, tell us and we will check it.
About this analysis: Based on declared label information and available evidence. Decode Label does not independently laboratory-test products, and a score is not a regulatory determination or medical advice.
Disclaimer: Safety scores are Decode Label-generated assessments based on publicly available regulatory data (FSSAI, WHO, EFSA, IARC) and peer-reviewed research. They are not a substitute for professional medical advice, and they are not a regulatory determination, a laboratory safety certification or a medical diagnosis. Ingredient safety can vary by individual health conditions, concentration, and usage context. Decode Label is an independent information service and scores every brand by the same rules. No brand pays for or influences its score. Our founder also founded the personal-care brand Botani Bestie (see our story); its products are scored exactly like everyone else's. Data limitations: This assessment is based on the information declared on the product label and the evidence sources above — Decode Label does not independently laboratory-test this product. Ingredient concentrations, sourcing and manufacturing can vary between batches and are not always disclosed. A finding that is not shown here means it was not identified from the available label information, not that it has been ruled out.
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