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)
   Hernquist, Thomas K.
   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/Day/Year
   4/29/03
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   [ ] Director                   [ ] 10% Owner
   [X] Officer (give title below) [ ] Other (specify below)
   Sr. Vice President,
   Chief Marketing Officer
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 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 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Common Stock 04/28/03 A 10,500.0000 (1A 10,500.0000 D Direct ) 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 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Non-Qualified Stock Option $64.46000 04/28/03 A 37,100.0000 (3) 04/27/13 (right to buy) (2) 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 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Non-Qualified Stock Option 04/28/03 Common Stock 37,100.0000 37,100.0000 D Direct (right to buy) (2) Explanation of Responses: (1) Restricted stock units of which 5,250 vest on April 28, 2004 and 5,250 vest on April 28, 2005. (2) These options were granted under the Hershey Foods Corporation Key Employee Incentive Plan, and they have a stock withholding featur e which permits the withholding of shares of stock at the time of exercise to satisfy the grantee's income tax withholding rights. (3) Options vest according to the following schedule: 25% vest on the first anniversary of the grant date, an additional 25% vest on th e second anniversary of the grant date, an additional 25% vest on the third anniversary of the grant date, and the options become fu lly vested on the fourth anniversary of the grant date.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON /S/ Hernquist, Thomas K. DATE 04/29/03