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 * BILBREY JOHN 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, Pres Int'l Commercial Grp (Last) (First) (Middle) 100 CRYSTAL A DRIVE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 08/08/2006 (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 08/08/2006   M   1,250 A (1) 16,250 D   Common Stock 08/08/2006   F   367 D $ 52.28 15,883 D   Common Stock               254.017 I 401(k) Plan

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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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

(1)

08/08/2006

M

1,250 (2)

(3)

(3)

Common Stock

1,250

(1)

3,750

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
BILBREY JOHN P 100 CRYSTAL A DRIVE HERSHEY, PA 17033			SVP, Pres Int'l Commercial Grp

Signatures

John P Bilbrey		08/08/2006
**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)	Each Restricted Stock Unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of Common Stock of The Hershey Company or its cash equivalent.
(2)	Vested Restricted Stock Units granted under the Company's Key Employee Incentive Plan ("Plan") converted and settled with the Company in stock as permitted under the Plan.
(3)	Restricted Stock Units ("RSUs") granted on August 8, 2005 of which 1,250 RSUs vested on August 8, 2006. The remaining unvested RSUs will vest according to the following schedule: 1,250 on August 8, 2007; 1,250 on August 8, 2008; and the final 1,250 on August 8, 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. The reporting person has elected to settle the vested RSUs for stock (except for such shares as are necessary to satisfy current tax obligations).
Remarks: The total amount of securities reported as indirectly owned by the reporting person in Column 5 of Table I (401(k) Plan) includes 52.2070 shares acquired from February 1, 2006 through July 31, 2006, pursuant to the Company's Employee Savings Stock Investment and Ownership Plan (ESSIOP).  These shares were acquired at various intervals.  The closing price on July 31, 2006, was $54.97.  The exact price of each share at the date of acquisition is not readily determinable.

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