The Hershey Company is one of the largest confectionery manufacturers in North America, with over $11 billion in annual net sales and a supplier base that spans raw ingredients, contract manufacturing, packaging, logistics, and marketing services. If you're a certified diverse business owner, Hershey's formal supplier diversity program is a real entry point, not a checkbox exercise.
This guide covers what you need to register, which certifications they recognize, the categories most likely to generate active sourcing, and how to get in front of the right people.
Hershey's supplier diversity program
Hershey has maintained a formal supplier diversity program for decades, aligned with their broader corporate social responsibility commitments under "Shared Goodness." They are active members of NMSDC (National Minority Supplier Development Council) and WBENC (Women's Business Enterprise National Council), which means their procurement staff attend regional and national events from both organizations each year.
Hershey has publicly committed to growing diverse supplier spend as part of their ESG reporting. They track diverse supplier expenditure annually and disclose progress in their Shared Goodness ESG report. Their cocoa sustainability programs specifically include sourcing from women-owned and minority-owned cooperatives, primarily in West Africa, through their Cocoa For Good initiative. Domestic diverse supplier spend covers a much broader set of categories than cocoa alone.
The program is managed through their Global Procurement team. The supplier diversity function sits within that group, and buyer decisions are made category by category, not through a central "diverse supplier fund."
Certifications they recognize
Hershey accepts the following third-party certifications as evidence of diverse ownership:
- MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) from an NMSDC Regional Affiliate
- WBE (Women's Business Enterprise) from WBENC or a WBENC Regional Partner Organization
- WOSB (Women-Owned Small Business) from the SBA or an approved third-party certifier
- SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business) from the VA CVE (Center for Verification and Evaluation)
- VOSB (Veteran-Owned Small Business) via VA CVE
- LGBTBE (LGBT Business Enterprise) from NGLCC
- DOBE (Disability-Owned Business Enterprise) from Disability:IN
- SBE/DBE (Small Business Enterprise/Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) in some state-contract contexts
If you don't yet hold any of these certifications, get your NMSDC MBE or WBENC WBE certification first. Those two unlock the most corporate procurement conversations across Fortune 500 companies, including Hershey.
How to register
Hershey uses a third-party supplier portal called Coupa Supplier Portal (also accessed via their internal procurement system). New suppliers register through https://supplier.hersheys.com or through the Coupa Supplier Network at https://supplier.coupahost.com.
Steps:
- Create a free Coupa Supplier Network profile if you don't already have one. Coupa is used by hundreds of large enterprises, so your profile carries over.
- Complete your company profile: legal name, DUNS number, EIN, NAICS codes, certifications (upload current certificates), banking information for ACH setup.
- Select relevant commodity codes when prompted. These map your business to the categories Hershey buyers search.
- Upload your current diversity certification documents. Expired certificates disqualify you from diverse supplier tracking, so keep them current.
- Submit a connection request to Hershey specifically within the Coupa network.
Being in the portal does not guarantee you receive a sourcing inquiry. It makes you discoverable when a category manager is running a competitive bid or looking for backup suppliers. The portal is a necessary first step, not a lead generator on its own.
What they source from diverse suppliers
Hershey's diverse supplier spend is concentrated across several categories. These are the areas where active sourcing happens:
Ingredients and raw materials. Dairy, sugar, nuts, soy lecithin, flavors, and cocoa derivatives. If you supply food-grade ingredients at scale with the right SQF or BRC certifications, this is worth pursuing. Small ingredient suppliers without food safety certification will not pass qualification.
Packaging. Flexible films, folding cartons, corrugated, labels, and co-manufacturing packaging materials. Hershey runs high volumes; packaging suppliers need to demonstrate capacity and quality management systems (typically ISO 9001 or equivalent).
Marketing and creative services. Agency services, design, digital media, shopper marketing, and promotional materials. This category is more accessible to smaller certified businesses. A WBE or MBE creative agency with CPG experience has a realistic shot at a project engagement.
Logistics and transportation. Freight brokerage, warehousing, and last-mile distribution. Diverse-owned carriers and 3PLs are actively sourced in this category.
Facilities and maintenance. Janitorial, landscaping, electrical, and HVAC services for their Hershey, PA operations and other facilities.
IT and professional services. Staffing, consulting, and technology services tied to specific projects. This category moves on an as-needed basis.
Retail services. Merchandising, point-of-sale installation, and field sales support for retail execution.
If your business falls outside these categories, registration is still worth completing, but your realistic timeline for a sourcing conversation extends significantly.
Industry events and how to get a meeting
Hershey's procurement team attends specific events where you can meet buyers in person. These are the highest-leverage touchpoints:
NMSDC Annual Conference. Held each October, this is the largest MBE-focused business conference in the country. Hershey sends procurement staff. A certified MBE in a relevant category who requests a business match meeting in advance has a reasonable chance of a 15-minute sit-down. Business match requests typically open 60 to 90 days before the conference.
WBENC National Conference and Business Fair. Held in June, attended by Hershey's supplier diversity contacts. Same dynamic: request a business match early, prepare a tight capability statement, show up with specific capacity data and relevant references.
NMSDC Regional Affiliate Events. If you're based near Philadelphia or in the Mid-Atlantic region, the Regional Affiliate (Philadelphia Minority Supplier Development Council) runs events where Hershey often participates as a corporate member.
GS1 Connect. For packaging and ingredient suppliers, this supply chain conference attracts CPG procurement teams including Hershey.
Before any meeting, do three things. First, know your NAICS codes and how they map to Hershey's commodity categories. Second, build a one-page capability statement that names Hershey-relevant clients, certifications, capacity, and a specific problem you solve for CPG companies. Third, follow Hershey's Shared Goodness report for recent procurement priorities so you can reference them in conversation.
After a conference meeting, follow up within 48 hours with your Coupa profile link and capability statement. If you don't hear back within two weeks, one follow-up email is appropriate. Beyond that, wait for the next event cycle.
Realistic timeline and first steps
Getting from "registered in Coupa" to "first purchase order" typically takes 12 to 24 months for new diverse suppliers without an existing relationship. That timeline can compress if you have a warm referral from an NMSDC or WBENC staff contact, or if you solve a specific gap a category manager is actively working on.
Here's a practical sequence:
Month 1. Get or renew your certification. If you're pursuing NMSDC MBE, your regional affiliate handles the application. Processing typically takes 60 to 90 days on a first application. Start the process before doing anything else.
Month 2 to 3. Complete your Coupa Supplier Network profile. Map your NAICS codes carefully; this is how buyers filter. Upload certifications the moment they're issued.
Month 3 to 6. Register with NMSDC and WBENC to access their corporate member directories and event calendars. Identify which upcoming events Hershey attends. Request business match meetings as early as registration allows.
Month 6 to 12. Attend one NMSDC or WBENC national event. Have one in-person meeting with a Hershey buyer or supplier diversity contact. Follow up with a specific capability statement.
Month 12 to 24. Stay visible. Respond to any RFI or RFQ you receive through Coupa. Attend a second event. The relationship build is slow in CPG because sourcing decisions follow contract cycles, not individual meetings.
One additional step that moves things faster: ask your NMSDC or WBENC regional affiliate staff to introduce you to the Hershey supplier diversity contact directly. Corporate members pay significant dues to these organizations precisely because the affiliates source and refer qualified diverse suppliers. Use that relationship.
Hershey is a real program with real spend. It rewards suppliers who are certified, prepared, and persistent across multiple event cycles.
