-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 UGHR3/D5dbL9Dim57JIKh4UYAEP+97FXQUem8Px8cn0wknrbsoKKZqAiRfPbHsl+
 K6zEl4GW0JoYjI97wZMmTA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000047111-01-500088.txt : 20010410
<SEC-HEADER>0000047111-01-500088.hdr.sgml : 20010410
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000047111-01-500088
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20010330
FILED AS OF DATE:		20010409

SUBJECT COMPANY:	

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HERSHEY FOODS CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000047111
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SUGAR & CONFECTIONERY PRODUCTS [2060]
		IRS NUMBER:				230691590
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-00183
		FILM NUMBER:		1597803

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		100 CRYSTAL A DR
		STREET 2:		P O BOX 810
		CITY:			HERSHEY
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			17033-0810
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7175346799

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		P O BOX 810
		STREET 2:		100 CRYSTAL A DIRVE
		CITY:			HERSHEY
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			17033-0810

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	HERSHEY CHOCOLATE CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19680401
<REPORTING-OWNER>

COMPANY DATA:	
	COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			REESE ROBERT M
	CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001050090
	STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SUGAR & CONFECTIONERY PRODUCTS [2060]
<RELATIONSHIP>OFFICER
	STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
	FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

FILING VALUES:
	FORM TYPE:		4

BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
	STREET 1:		100 CRYSTAL A DRIVE
	STREET 2:		P O BOX 810
	CITY:			HERSHEY
	STATE:			PA
	ZIP:			17033-0810
	BUSINESS PHONE:		7175346799

MAIL ADDRESS:	
	STREET 1:		P O BOX 810
	STREET 2:		100 CRYSTAL A DIRVE
	CITY:			HERSHEY
	STATE:			PA
	ZIP:			17033-0810
</REPORTING-OWNER>
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rmrf4301.txt
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4- MARCH 2001
<TEXT>

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 4
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

[   ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5
    obligations may continue.
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person(s)
   Reese               Robert M
   100 Crystal A Drive


   Hershey, Pennsylvania  l7033
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   Hershey Foods Corporation (HSY)
3. I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an entity (Voluntary)

4. Statement for Month/Year
   03/01
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   [ ] Director                   [ ] 10% Owner
   [X] Officer (give title below) [ ] Other (specify below)
   Sr. V.P., General Counsel,
   and Secy.
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
   [X] Form filed by One Reporting Person
   [ ] Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Table I   Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1)Title of Security                           2)Trans-    3.Trans- 4.Securities Acquired(A)      5)Amount of    6)  7)Nature of
                                              action      action   or Disposed of (D)            Securities         Indirect
                                              Date        Code                   A               Beneficially   D   Beneficial
                                              (Month/                            or              Owned at       or  Ownership
                                              Day/Year)   Code V   Amount        D  Price        End of Month   I
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                           <C>         <C>      <C>           <C><C>          <C>            <C><C>
Common Stock (1)                              03/01/01    M        4,200.0000    A  $22.37500                   D  Direct
Common Stock                                  03/01/01    S        4,200.0000    D  $64.75000    9,373.4572     D  Direct
Common Stock                                                                                     4,884.2800     I  401(k) Plan
Common Stock                                                                                     382.4381       I  by Daughter
Common Stock                                                                                     30,000.0000    I  by Trust

<CAPTION>
Table II (PART 1) Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially
Owned (Columns 1 through 6)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1)Title of Derivative          2)Conversion    3)Trans-       4)Trans-  5)Number of Derivative            6)Date Exercisable and
Security                       or Exercise     action         action    Securities Acquired (A)           Expiration Date
                               Price of        Date           Code      or Disposed of (D)
                               Derivative
                               Security                       Code  V   A                D                Exercisable  Expiration
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>             <C>            <C>       <C>              <C>              <C>          <C>
Non-Qualified Stock Option     $22.37500       03/01/01       M                          4,200.0000                    01/05/02
(right to buy) (1)

<CAPTION>
Table II (PART 2) Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially
Owned (Columns 1,3 and 7 through 11)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1)Title of Derivative          3)Trans-  7)Title and Amount                           8)Price     9)Number of   10) 11)Nature of
Security                       action    of Underlying                                of Deri-    Derivative        Indirect
                               Date      Securities                                   vative      Securities    D   Beneficial
                                                                        Amount or     Security    Beneficially  or  Ownership
                                                                        Number of                 Owned at      I
                  -                      Title                          Shares                    End of Month
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>       <C>                            <C>           <C>         <C>           <C> <C>
Non-Qualified Stock Option     03/01/01  Common Stock                   4,200.0000    $64.75000   0.0000        D   Direct
(right to buy) (1)

<FN>
Explanation of Responses:

(1)
These options were granted under the Hershey Foods Corporation Key Employee
Incentive Plan, and they have a stock withholding feature which permits the
withholding of shares of stock at the time of exercise to satisfy the grantee's
income tax withholding rights.





Beneficial holdings reflected in this report do not include changes in the reporting person's holdings of
securities resulting from participation in the issuer's Employee Savings Stock
 Investment & Ownership Plan (ESSIOP) or the issuer's Dividend Reinvestment Plan
 since the last filing of a report disclosing transactions related to such
 participation.


</FN>
</TABLE>
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
/S/ Reese,  Robert M
DATE 04/09/2001


</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
