diff --git a/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/hermes-test.rb b/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/hermes-test.rb
index 0d22d40a02f687..a69bb29d1ee4d5 100644
--- a/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/hermes-test.rb
+++ b/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/hermes-test.rb
@@ -22,8 +22,12 @@ def teardown
         Pod::Config.reset()
         Pod::UI.reset()
         podSpy_cleanUp()
+        ENV['PRODUCTION'] = '0'
     end
 
+    # ============================= #
+    # TEST - installHermesIfEnabled #
+    # ============================= #
     def test_installHermesIfEnabled_whenHermesIsDisabled_doesNothing
         # Arrange
 
@@ -81,5 +85,54 @@ def test_installHermesIfEnabled_whenHermesIsEnabledAndHermesScriptSucceeds_insta
         assert_equal($podInvocation["hermes-engine"][:podspec], "../../sdks/hermes/hermes-engine.podspec")
     end
 
+    # ========================= #
+    # TEST - getHermesBuildType #
+    # ========================= #
+    def test_getHermesBuildType_whenNotInProduction
+        # Arrange
+        ENV['PRODUCTION'] = '0'
+
+        # Act
+        build_type = get_hermes_build_type
+
+        # Assert
+        assert_equal(build_type, :debug)
+    end
+
+    def test_getHermesBuildType_whenInProduction
+        # Arrange
+        ENV['PRODUCTION'] = '1'
+
+        # Act
+        build_type = get_hermes_build_type
+
+        # Assert
+        assert_equal(build_type, :release)
+    end
+
+    def test_getHermesBuildType_whenProductionIsNotSet
+        # Arrange
+        ENV.delete 'PRODUCTION'
+
+        # Act
+        build_type = get_hermes_build_type
+
+        # Assert
+        assert_equal(build_type, :debug)
+    end
+
+    def test_getHermesBuildType_symbolsMatchStrings
+        # Arrange
+        ENV['PRODUCTION'] = '0'
+
+        # Act
+        build_type = get_hermes_build_type
+
+        # Assert
+        assert_equal(build_type, :debug)
+        assert_equal(build_type.to_s, "debug")
+        assert_equal(build_type.to_s.capitalize, "Debug")
+    end
+
 
 end
diff --git a/scripts/cocoapods/hermes.rb b/scripts/cocoapods/hermes.rb
index 747b744c87d7df..a88b8dc4c0af0c 100644
--- a/scripts/cocoapods/hermes.rb
+++ b/scripts/cocoapods/hermes.rb
@@ -18,3 +18,7 @@ def install_hermes_if_enabled(hermes_enabled, react_native_path)
     pod 'libevent', '~> 2.1.12'
     pod 'hermes-engine', :podspec => "#{react_native_path}/sdks/hermes/hermes-engine.podspec"
 end
+
+def get_hermes_build_type()
+    return ENV['PRODUCTION'] == "1" ? :release : :debug
+end
diff --git a/sdks/hermes-engine/hermes-engine.podspec b/sdks/hermes-engine/hermes-engine.podspec
index 3bced58061f2b8..1d5d4aa17c3b12 100644
--- a/sdks/hermes-engine/hermes-engine.podspec
+++ b/sdks/hermes-engine/hermes-engine.podspec
@@ -5,11 +5,6 @@
 
 require "json"
 
-module HermesHelper
-  BUILD_TYPE = :debug
-  # BUILD_TYPE = :release
-end
-
 react_native_path = File.join(__dir__, "..", "..")
 
 # package.json
@@ -40,7 +35,7 @@ elsif File.exists?(hermestag_file) && isInCI
   source[:git] = git
   source[:tag] = hermestag
 else
-  source[:http] = "https://github.com/facebook/react-native/releases/download/v#{version}/hermes-runtime-darwin-v#{version}.tar.gz"
+  source[:http] = "https://github.com/facebook/react-native/releases/download/v#{version}/hermes-runtime-darwin-#{get_hermes_build_type.to_s}-v#{version}.tar.gz"
 end
 
 Pod::Spec.new do |spec|
@@ -54,7 +49,7 @@ Pod::Spec.new do |spec|
   spec.source      = source
   spec.platforms   = { :osx => "10.13", :ios => "12.4" }
 
-  spec.preserve_paths      = ["destroot/bin/*"].concat(HermesHelper::BUILD_TYPE == :debug ? ["**/*.{h,c,cpp}"] : [])
+  spec.preserve_paths      = ["destroot/bin/*"].concat(get_hermes_build_type == :debug ? ["**/*.{h,c,cpp}"] : [])
   spec.source_files        = "destroot/include/**/*.h"
   spec.header_mappings_dir = "destroot/include"
 
@@ -64,22 +59,22 @@ Pod::Spec.new do |spec|
   spec.xcconfig            = {
     "CLANG_CXX_LANGUAGE_STANDARD" => "c++17",
     "CLANG_CXX_LIBRARY" => "compiler-default",
-    "GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS" => "HERMES_ENABLE_DEBUGGER=#{HermesHelper::BUILD_TYPE == :debug ? "1" : "0"}"
+    "GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS" => "HERMES_ENABLE_DEBUGGER=#{get_hermes_build_type == :debug ? "1" : "0"}"
   }
 
   if source[:git] then
     spec.prepare_command = <<-EOS
-      BUILD_TYPE=#{HermesHelper::BUILD_TYPE == :debug ? "Debug" : "Release"}
+    BUILD_TYPE=#{get_hermes_build_type.to_s.capitalize}
 
-      # Set HERMES_OVERRIDE_HERMESC_PATH if pre-built HermesC is available
-      #{File.exist?(import_hermesc_file) ? "export HERMES_OVERRIDE_HERMESC_PATH=#{import_hermesc_file}" : ""}
-      #{File.exist?(import_hermesc_file) ? "echo \"Overriding HermesC path...\"" : ""}
+    # Set HERMES_OVERRIDE_HERMESC_PATH if pre-built HermesC is available
+    #{File.exist?(import_hermesc_file) ? "export HERMES_OVERRIDE_HERMESC_PATH=#{import_hermesc_file}" : ""}
+    #{File.exist?(import_hermesc_file) ? "echo \"Overriding HermesC path...\"" : ""}
 
-      # Build iOS framework
-      ./utils/build-ios-framework.sh
+    # Build iOS framework
+    ./utils/build-ios-framework.sh
 
-      # Build Mac framework
-      ./utils/build-mac-framework.sh
+    # Build Mac framework
+    ./utils/build-mac-framework.sh
     EOS
   end
 end