Since Valentines day is rapidly approaching and "manipulated sugars are a part of the celebration, I thought I'd repeat a neat feature for all us Sugarholic that I've used before.
Nancy's sister, “Auntie June” in Milwaukee, passed this wonderful “Candy Timeline” along to us sometime ago. The article was prepared by the Candy USA website and featured in the Milwaukee Sentinel. It needs to be updated since there has been a raft of new candy bars in the last few years and so many modifications like the new M&M colors. I know you always enjoy learn about all of the candies you've been eating -- all these years. And take a moment to visit the Candy USA website to catch up on the late new candies.
1854- The first packaged box of Whitman's chocolate debuts.
1868- Richard Cadbury introduces the first Valentine's Day box of chocolates.
1880s- Wunderle Candy Company creates candy corn. In 1898, Goelitz Confectionery Company began making candy corn and has made this Halloween favorite longer than any other company.
1893- William Wrigley, Jr. introduces Juicy Fruit gum and Wrigley's Spearmint gum.
1896- Tootsie Rolls debut, introduced by Leo Hirshfield of New York, who named them after his daughter's nickname, "Tootsie".
1900- Milton S. Hershey of Lancaster, PA introduces the first Hershey milk chocolate bar.
1901- Pastel-colored little candy disks called NECCO wafers first appear named for the acronym of the New England Confectionery Company.
1902- Necco makes the first conversation hearts - tiny Valentine's Day favorites with messages printed on them.
1906- Hershey's Kisses chocolates appear in their familiar foil wraps.
1911- The Ziegler Giant choclolate bar debuted in Milwaukee. The Ziegler family lived in Wauwatosa, WI and Mary and I went to school with some of the children of the extended candy family as well as the Davidsons of Harley Davidson. This was an incredible candy, my favorite even before Snickers. Giant Bars can still be found in Phoenix, AZ -- why, I don't know, maybe that's where the family retired.
1912- Life Savers, the candy named for its ring shape with the hole in the center is introduced in peppermint flavor. It would be 22 years before the popular five-flavor roll is introduced.
1912- The Whitman's Sampler box of chocolates is born when the company president decides the needlework sampler hanging in his home would make beautiful packaging. It was the first box of chocolates to include an index showing the filling in each candy.
1913- Goo Goo Clusters, a Southern favorite, was the first bar to combine milk chocolate, caramel, marshmallow and peanuts.
1920- Fannie May Candies opens its first candy shop in Chicago producing a variety of chocolate enrobed buttercreams and caramels.
1920- The Baby Ruth candy bar is first sold, named for President Grover Cleveland's daughter - not the famous baseball player.
1923- Mounds, the double candy bar, offered a coconut filling enrobed in chocolate.
1923- M&M/Mars Milk Way Bar is the first of many candies to be introduced by the Mars family, created to taste like a malted milk that would be available anywhere, any time.
1925- Bit-O-Honey debuts, the honey-flavored taffy bar made with bits of almond.
1926- Milk Duds are introduced as bite-size caramel morsels covered in chocolate.
1928- Crunchy Heath Bars appear, offering chocolate covered toffee.
1928- Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, named for the man who created them, are a peanut butter-chocolate combination among the most popular candy bars today.
1930- M&M/Mars introduces the Snickers Bar, named for a favorite horse owned by the Mars family. It is the number-one selling candy bar in the U.S. today.
1931- Tootsie Roll Pops are introduced and soon widely advertised as the lollipop that offers two candies in one - flavored hard candy on the outside and chewy Tootsie Roll center inside.
1932- MARS® Almond Bar introduced by M&M/Mars.
1932- Red Hots are made by Ferrara Pan Candy Company. These fiery little candy pellets are flavored with cinnamon.
1932- M&M/Mars debuts the 3 Musketeers Bar, originally made as a three-flavor bar featuring choclate, vanilla and strawberry nougat. In 1945, it was changed to all chocolate nougat.
1936- The 5th Avenue Bar was originated by the man perhaps best known for his cough drops - William H. Luden. It was made from layers of peanut butter crunch coated in milk chocolate.
1939- Hershey's Miniatures chocolate bars debut.
1941- "M&M's" Plain Chocolate Candies are introduced in response to slack chocolate sales in the summer months. Fifty-nine years later, M&M/Mars changed the name of this popular candy item to "M&M's" Milk Chocolate Candies.
1942 to 1945- Women working on the Whitman's Sampler production line secretly slipped notes to soldiers in those boxes destined for military shipment. The notes resulted in several long-term friendships and even a few marriages.
1949-Junior Mints offered soft mint centers drenched in dark chocolate.
1949- Smarties small pastel candy disks are introduced, followed by the Smarties Necklace nine years later.
1950- Bob’s Candy Canes, sold under the Cris Cringle brand, are introduced nationwide. Candy canes were originally created by a German choirmaster.
1954- Marshmallow Peeps are introduced by Just Born, Inc. in the shape of Easter chicks. Today, Peeps come in a variety of seasonal shapes and more than 2 million Peeps are made each day.
1960- M&M/Mars Starburst Fruit Chews are introduced and later fortified with 50 percent of the daily value for Vitamin C.
1960- Blammo becomes the first sugar free, soft bubble gum introduced by Amurol Confections.
1960s- Lemonheads are created by Ferrara Pan Candy Company, later inspiring the introduction of Grapeheads, Appleheads, Orangeheads and others.
1963- Sweet Tarts, the candy pellets with the original sweet and tart flavor combination are introduced.
1976- Introduced by Herman Goelitz Candy Company, Jelly Belly Jelly Beans offer consumers fun and unique flavors in a tiny jelly bean.
1978- Hershey's Reese's Pieces bite-size candies are introduced and four years later made popular by the blockbuster movie E.T.
1979- TWIX Caramel Cookie Bars introduced in the U.S. by M&M/Mars.
1980- Goelitz introduces the first American-made gummy bears and gummy worms. Formerly, these candies were imported from Europe.
1981- A European favorite since 1974, SKITTLES Bite Size Candies are introduced in the U.S. by M&M/Mars.
1992- DOVE Dark Chocolate Bar and DOVE Milk Chocolate Bar introduced nationally by M&M/Mars.
1994- Blitz Power Mints are one of several strong mints introduced in the 1990s as the breath freshener category grows.
1998- Holopops become the first hologram lollipops introduced by Light Vision Confections. The design on their etched surface appears to change as you move the pop.
1999- Sound Bites Lollipops from Cap Candies is the first radio-lollipop combination in the growing interactive candy segment.
2001- "M&M's"® Dulce de Leche Caramel Chocolate Candies introduced to tap into a growing Latino market
Interested in finding more history and information about your favorite candies? Then have a look at the Candy USA website sponsored by the National Confectioners Association linked below. And if you live within driving distance of Chicago and you are a Sugarholic, you might consider getting some black market tickes to the Candy Explo being held at McCormick Place in that great city in June.
I wonder why this essay ignored Lady Godiva chocolates? Perhaps, it was a nudity issue.
