HSY vs FMX Comparison

Hershey is a leading US confectionery manufacturer (around a $54 billion market, according to Euromonitor), controlling around 36% of the domestic chocolate space. Beyond its namesake label, the firm's mix has expanded over the last 85 years and now consists of 100 brands, including Reese's, Kit Kat, Kisses, and Ice Breakers. Hershey's products are sold in about 80 countries, albeit with just a high-single-digit percentage of sales coming from markets outside the US, including Brazil, India, and Mexico. The firm has sought inorganic opportunities to extend its reach beyond its core confection business, adding Amplify Snack Brands and its Skinny Pop ready-to-eat popcorn to its mix, Pirate Brands, and Dot's Pretzels over the past few years.

Mexico-based Femsa is a beverage and retail conglomerate in Central and South America. The holding company owns controlling stakes in bottler Coca-Cola Femsa (47% economic stake, 56% voting rights), in addition to operating 100%-owned retail assets, including convenience stores under the Oxxo banner, drugstores, and gas stations. The firm divested its 15% stake in Heineken and its distribution business in 2023. Coca-Cola Femsa and the Oxxo chain made up 75% of total company revenue and around 90% of profits in 2023.