SHANGHAI — The Hershey Co. is launching Lancaster, a new candy brand in China.

The new product will come in three flavors — Original Pure Nai Bei, Pure Nai Bei filled with Rich Nai Bei, and Pure Nai Bei filled with strawberry — and initially will be available in Wuhan, Hangzhou and Chengdu with wider distribution in China to follow.

This is the first time Hershey has launched a completely new brand outside the United States, and it is also the first new brand the company has launched that is not a brand extension or acquisition in the last 30 years.

“It is significant that Hershey chose to launch its first new brand in three decades here in China,” said Steven Schiller, senior vice-president of the global sweets and refreshment business unit for Hershey. “This demonstrates the company’s deep commitment to China, as well as the importance of this market in Hershey’s global growth plans.”

The company said China is a growth engine for the company globally and plays a critical role in its long-range growth vision that includes reaching $10 billion in global new sales by 2017.