Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
Jastrzebski Thaddeus J
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
HERSHEY CO [HSY] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
SVP, President Hershey Intl.
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
100 CRYSTAL A DRIVE		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/08/2009
(Street)

HERSHEY, PA 17033		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock               308.699 (1) I 401(k) Plan
Common Stock (2) 01/08/2009   M   250 (3) A $ 0 5,908 D  
Common Stock 01/08/2009   F   13 D $ 0 5,895 D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Restricted Stock Units (4) $ 0 01/08/2009   M     250   (6)   (7) Common Stock 250 $ 0 (5) 2,149 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Jastrzebski Thaddeus J
100 CRYSTAL A DRIVE
HERSHEY, PA 17033		       SVP, President Hershey Intl.  

Signatures

 Thaddeus J. Jastrzebski   01/09/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The total amount of securities reported as indirectly owned by the reporting person includes 2.7460 shares acquired from December 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008, pursuant to the Company?s 401(k) Plan (?Plan?). The information is based on a report dated December 31, 2008, provided by the Plan Trustee.
(2) Restricted Stock Units ("RSUs") converted to phantom stock units and deferred under the Company's Deferred Compensation Plan. The units are payable only in shares of Common Stock at the end of the deferral period.
(3) Each deferred phantom stock unit is equivalent to one share of Common Stock of The Hershey Company.
(4) Restricted Stock Units (?RSUs?) granted on January 8, 2007 of which 250 RSUs vested on January 8, 2009. The remaining RSUs will vest according to the following schedule: 250 on January 8, 2010 and 250 on January 8, 2011. Once vested, RSUs may be: (1) settled in cash having a value equivalent to the closing price of Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on the day preceding the vesting date, in an equal number of shares of Common Stock, or in a combination of cash and Common Stock; or (2) deferred under the Company?s Deferred Compensation Plan. RSUs deferred as phantom stock units are payable only in shares of Common Stock at the end of the deferral period. The reporting person has elected to defer payment of the RSU award in phantom shares of Common Stock (except for shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations).
(5) Each Restricted Stock Unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of Common Stock of The Hershey Company or its cash equivalent.
(6) See Footnote (4) above.
(7) See Footnote (4) above.

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