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 * Alfonso Humberto P   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 __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) SVP, CFO (Last) (First) (Middle) 100 CRYSTAL A DRIVE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 07/17/2007 (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 (1) 07/17/2007   M   6,000 A $ 0 (2) 6,000 D   Common Stock 07/17/2007   D   1,500 D $ 50.55 4,500 D   Common Stock 07/17/2007   F   4 D $ 50.55 4,496 D   Common Stock               91.038 I 401(k) Plan

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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

(2)

07/17/2007

M

6,000 (3)

(3)

(3)

Common Stock

6,000

(2)

15,750

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Alfonso Humberto P 100 CRYSTAL A DRIVE HERSHEY, PA 17033			SVP, CFO

Signatures

Humberto P Alfonso		07/18/2007
**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)	Vested Restricted Stock Units ("RSUs") granted under the Company's Key Employee Incentive Plan ("Plan") of which 4,500 units are converted to phantom stock units and deferred under the Company's Deferred Compensation Plan. Each deferred phantom stock unit is equivalent to one share of Common Stock of The Hershey Company and is payable only in shares of Common Stock at the end of the deferral period. The remaining 1,500 units are converted and settled with the Company in cash as permitted under the Plan.
(2)	Each Restricted Stock Unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of Common Stock of The Hershey Company or its cash equivalent.
(3)	RSUs granted on July 17, 2006 of which 6,000 RSUs vested on July 17, 2007. The remaining 6,000 unvested RSUs from that grant will vest according to the following schedule: 3,000 on July 17, 2008 and 3,000 on July 17, 2009. 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 shares of Common Stock are payable only in shares of Common Stock at the end of the deferral period. The reporting person has elected to settle 1,500 RSUs for cash and defer payment of 4,500 shares underlying the RSU grant until 2010.

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