NEW YORK - Hershey announced earlier this week the imminent launch of Hershey??s Simple Pleasures, a cream-filled chocolate containing 30% less fat than other chocolates, Advertising Age reports.

Low calorie chocolate has faced stiff resistance from consumers, mainly because taste, not calories and nutrition, is paramount for those seeking a chocolate indulgence. But change is coming.

Last year, Nestle USA expanded its Skinny Cow ice cream brand to candy, marketing 110 to 120 calorie crisps and clusters.

Simple Pleasures hopes to build on SK??s initial success. The chocolates will be slightly larger than a quarter and sold in a stand-up pouch. Flavors include dark chocolate with chocolate crème, milk chocolate with vanilla crème, and milk chocolate with chocolate crème. All will go on sale June 1.

Hershey executives said the candies would be positioned an "an indulgent chocolate that has fewer calories" rather than as a health and wellness product.

Each serving size includes six pieces and contains 180 calories with 22-23 grams of sugar. By comparison, a Hershey bar has 210 calories and 24 grams of sugar.

Simple Pleasures will be supported by an integrated media campaign, including television.

Chocolate competitor Mars previously announced that by the end of 2013, all of its chocolates will contain no more than 250 calories per portion.