Candy News

It seems like we’re spending a lot more time on our smartphones checking Facebook, Instagram, Twitter… and of course, TikTok!  Yes, watching TikTok videos can lead you down a path that can suck you in and make you realize you just wasted your lunch hour watching funny and crazy stunts.

If you’re a TikTok fan, you’ve probably seen some wild videos featuring some of the unique candy we sell – like a ghost pepper gummy or pickle flavored popsicles!  These far-out treats are TikTokker’s holy grail for creating content and building their fan base.

If you’re on the social media platform and are looking for the latest candy treats that are “out there” and can bring in the views, look no further.  In fact, we have a whole section devoted just to TikTok candy, but here are some of the latest ones that are sure to bring in the “likes.”

Candy Foam
Yes, you heard that right!  Foaming candy is all the rage and it comes in two delicious flavors – blueberry and apple.  Just squirt it in your mouth, have your camera rolling, and capture the moment.  Make it even more fun by gathering up a whole group and seeing who can get the most in their mouth.  Video gold!

 

Troll’s Ear Wax Candy
Trust us on this one… this candy tastes better than what the name implies.  Open up a package, squeeze the Troll’s head, and candy wax squirts out its ears!  It doesn’t get any better than this to create a fun and wacky TikTok video and have a sweet treat at the same time.

 

Electro Fusion Super Gel Candy
Here’s one that is sure to get views.  Gather up your friends and give them the opportunity to see just how much “sour” they can handle.  This Super Gel Candy has three different levels: sour, super sour, and ultra sour.  Squeeze each out of the pack and watch the expressions on their faces – just make sure the camera is rolling.

Looking for more new candy to try and share on social media, be sure to check out all our new candy arrivals.

A favorite hard candy has made a comeback after a ten-year absence and fans are super excited to get their hands on a bag or roll.

Creme Savers were discontinued back in 2011 and have returned to shelves, candy dishes, and yes… purses everywhere, but with a slight change.  The original Creme Savers came in fruit, tropical, and dessert flavor, however, since being reintroduced in September, they now come in Orange & Creme and Strawberry & Creme.

The new flavors are designed to attract a whole new fan base of these famous sweets your parents and grandparents enjoyed.

Along with new flavors, new packaging makes this classic hard candy easier tote around.  Each flavor is available in a 6.25oz bag – perfect for filling up that candy dish – and a 12 piece roll that’s easy to take along in a purse or pocket.  Of course, each piece of delicious candy is individually wrapped.

Speaking of hard candy, another classic has made a triumphant return.  Connoisseurs of Reed’s Butterscotch Candy were overjoyed to see it back in production once again.  

Around for over 100 years, Reed’s candies are right up there on our list of favorite classic candies and who can resist that delicious butterscotch flavor?

We know we can’t!

From a glazed donut with our coffee in the morning to a candy bar in the afternoon, and a slice of pie after dinner, we certainly love our sweets! America’s fascination with junk food goes beyond just grabbing something quick to eat on the run.

A recent survey conducted by used packing equipment seller, Bid-On-Equipment, revealed that 49% of us reach for a sweet snack for its taste, while 87% of those surveyed saying they get a craving for junk food multiple times a day.

So what is the go-to snack when the cravings kick in?

Donuts and pies top the list – and why wouldn’t they!

Analyzing Google search data, the folks behind the survey figured out what the most popular junk food is by state:

State	Junk Food
Alabama	Sweet Potato Pies
Alaska	Russian Tea Cakes
Arizona	Doughnuts
Arkansas	Small Cake
California	Doughnuts
Colorado	Doughnuts
Connecticut	Crazy Doughnuts
Delaware	Smith Island Cake
D.C.	Doughnuts
Florida	Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream
Georgia	Sweet Potato Pies
Hawaii	Pumpkin Crunch
Idaho	Apple Crumble
Illinois	Doughnuts
Indiana	Doughnuts
Iowa	Apple Crumble
Kansas	Small Cake
Kentucky	Oreo Balls
Louisiana	King Cake
Maine	Whoopie Pies
Maryland	Smith Island Cake
Massachusetts	Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
Michigan	Apple Crumble
Minnesota	Apple Crumble
Mississippi	Sweet Potato Pies
Missouri	Sweet Pies
Montana	Chicken Pot Pies
Nebraska	Cheeseburger
Nevada	Doughnuts
New Hampshire	Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
New Jersey	Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
New Mexico	Chantilly Cake
New York	Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream
North Carolina	Sweet Potato Pies
North Dakota	Apple Crumble
Ohio	Cassata Cake
Oklahoma	Doughnuts
Oregon	Tillamook Ice Cream
Pennsylvania	Maple Doughnut
Rhode Island	Honey Dew Doughnuts
South Carolina	Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
South Dakota	Apple Crumble
Tennessee	Goo Goo Clusters
Texas	Doughnuts
Utah	Doughnuts
Vermont	Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
Virginia	Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
Washington	Doughnuts
West Virginia	Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Wisconsin	Apple Crumble
Wyoming	Cake Mix Cookies

So what do you think? Does your state’s most popular junk food match up with your favorite snack? If not, have no fear, we’ve got plenty of snack foods for you to choose from and you don’t have to leave your home state to get them!

We’re wrapping up our trip to Indianapolis where we spent time at the 2021 Sweets & Snacks Expo. Over the past few days, we’ve had the opportunity to see plenty of new, exciting and delicious candy and snack foods that manufacturers will be coming out with over the next few weeks and months.

Let’s just say there’s going to be lots of new Halloween candy followed by plenty of new Christmas candy coming this year, and we couldn’t be more excited!

Earlier in the week, the Most Innovative New Products Awards were handed out. Products were judged by retail and category thought leaders who had the task of sorting through more than 300 entries to pick out the winners!

So who made the cut? Here are some of the winners which include many items we sell on our huge online candy store!

Chocolate: The Hershey Company – Reese’s Big Cup with Pretzels
Reese’s Big Cup is BIG peanut butter cups loaded with more of that creamy, delicious Reese’s peanut butter and coated with rich milk chocolate. These Reese’s cups take the Big Cup to the next level by adding in pretzel pieces to add another taste dimension. After all, what’s not to like about peanut butter and chocolate-covered pretzels?

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Non-Chocolate: Mederer U.S.A., Inc. – efrutti Bakery Shoppe Bag
efrutti is known for making very creative gummy candy and this one is no exception. The efrutti Bakery Shoppe Bag contains an assortment of gummy candies that you would expect to find in a bakery such as a cheesecake, cupcakes, donuts, and more!

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Best in Show: Ferrara Candy Company – Nerds Gummy Clusters
Who doesn’t love Nerds? We thought so! Now, imagine Nerds combining with gummy candy. That’s exactly what the new Nerds Gummy Clusters are. Tangy and crunchy Nerds candy cover a soft and chewy gummy center to create a candy creation you’re going to want to snack on time and time again!

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These three winners have been extremely popular since arriving at our huge candy warehouse. So popular in fact that we may be out of stock on them, but have no fear! Sign up for a notification that will let you know when they’re back in stock so you can try this award-winning candy for yourself.

Hello from Indianapolis! Where we’re spending a few days at the 2021 Sweets & Snacks Expo where hundreds of the world’s leading candy makers are showing off all their new confectionery delights to get our mouths watering.

Walking from booth to booth it’s hard not to sample some of the new candy and snacks that these manufacturers will be rolling out soon. It’s safe to say that we’re probably going to gain a pound or two from “booth grazing” while we’re here!

In addition to showing off some new candy and snacks, many vendors are showcasing some of their seasonal creations that will be arriving just in time for Halloween and Christmas – two really big candy holidays.

Hershey’s introduced new M&M’s White Chocolate Pretzel Snowballs that sound as good as they taste. After all, chocolate and pretzels are the perfect combination and when you put them together in an M&M you can’t go wrong.

They also teased Dove Milk Chocolate Toffee Almond Crunch Promises. Individually holiday-themed wrapped pieces of smooth, delicious Dove chocolate with special messages inside the wrapper.

Both of these are expected to arrive in September / October and we can’t wait to have them join our lineup of delicious Christmas candy.

And speaking of Christmas candy…. We’re just a few weeks away from having loads and loads of seasonal sweets start arriving in our huge candy warehouse. Halloween candy should be arriving very soon and we’re sure to share some of the new spooky sweets as soon as they’re in stock. Of course, Christmas candy won’t be far behind!

To make sure you never miss out on new arrivals or special deals, visit our website and sign up for our candy newsletter. It’s the only place where you’ll receive special discounts and a “heads up” on all our new candy as it comes in.

Lately, in the candy world, everything old is new again! And that’s great news for nostalgic candy fans. We recently wrote about the return of one of our favorite candy bars, the NECCO Sky Bar – and today we have news about another NECCO classic.

If you follow our blog, you probably know that in 2018 NECCO, the New England Confectionary Company closed after filing for bankruptcy. The company is best known for its candy wafers which have been produced since 1847. Like Sky Bar, the NECCO Wafers were almost lost forever when the candy company closed shop.

Shortly after NECCO closed, Spangler Candy scooped up the recipe and equipment used to make NECCO Wafers, and production resumed in 2019. Almost immediately after hitting the shelves from their short vacation, NECCO Wafers became an instant hit once again. Fans of the classic candy were delighted to have one of their favorites back, while the press and excitement surrounding their return garnered a whole batch of new fans.

 

NECCO Wafers come in eight delicious flavors – lemon, lime, orange, clove, cinnamon, wintergreen, licorice and chocolate. Now, can you guess which is the most popular?

If you said “chocolate,” you’re right! Spangler kept the taste of seven flavors exactly the same but tweaked the chocolate to have a richer cocoa flavor which fans instantly noticed.

In response, Spangler has introduced a roll of… you guessed it… all chocolate NECCO Wafers!

“Once we brought back the original assorted roll of Necco Wafers this past summer, the demand for the chocolate roll was almost instantaneous,” says Diana Eschhofen, Spangler director, corporate communications. “We know this has been a long-awaited return, and we’re ready to give chocolate candy lovers something they’ve been missing.”

Both the assorted roll of NECCO Wafers and the new all-chocolate roll are in stock in our huge candy warehouse, so be sure to buy a box of both! Speaking of nostalgic candy, we’ve got the largest selection of all your favorites so be sure to check out everything we have – you may just find an old-time candy favorite you forgot about!

There’s a lot of excitement at our huge candy warehouse this week. Why? Well, we’re excited over the return of one of our all-time favorite nostalgic candy bars – Sky Bar!

Sky Bar was manufactured by NECCO, the New England Confectionery Company, from 1938 up until their bankruptcy in 2018. This unfortunate event also paused the production of the famous NECCO Wafers which made their return in 2019.

Production of Sky Bar has resumed using the original recipe by the Sky Bar Confectionery Company – a small candy company based in Sudbury, Massachusetts. The company began making Sky Bars in small batches and production ramped up as word got out about the famous candy bar’s return.

If you’re not familiar with Sky Bar, it is considered a “molded chocolate bar” – something pretty revolutionary for 1938. The bar is made in a mold that features four individual “compartments.” Each compartment is first layered with rich milk chocolate then infused with fudge, vanilla, peanut, and caramel. A top layer of chocolate is added to complete the bar and make it one single piece. To eat the Sky Bar, you simply break off one of the four “compartments” and enjoy this delicious 4-in-1 candy bar!

The four flavors inside Sky Bar have evolved over the years. The four original flavors were English toffee, nougat, nut butter toffee, and fudge parfait. A slight change was made in 1955 and English toffee, honey nougat, peanut whip, and fudge parfait were the four flavors. Today’s fudge, vanilla, peanut, and caramel flavors were introduced in 2001.

While we were sad to see NECCO leave the candy scene, we’re happy that companies such as Sky Bar Confectionary Company have stepped up to bring back some of this nostalgic candy that many of us love so much.

Earlier we mentioned that NECCO Wafers are back. Those are being produced by the Spangler Candy Company and are available in the original roll of assorted flavors as well as a roll of all chocolate NECCO Wafers.

If we got your taste buds watering for some old-fashioned candy, be sure to check out our selection of nostalgic candy – you may find one of your favorites is still being manufactured today!

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and as we say around here, “it’s a pretty sweet holiday!” After all, candy is a terrific way to say “I love you!” or “Be mine!” No other candy expresses that better than a classic one – Conversation Hearts.

If you’re thinking, “I haven’t seen those in a long time,” you’re not mistaken. Conversation Hearts were manufactured by NECCO – the company behind the famous NECCO Wafers. In 2018, NECCO closed up shop and Valentine’s Day was forever changed!

But wait a minute – Spangler Candy Company to the rescue! Spangler bought the recipe for both NECCO Wafers and Conversation Hearts and brought back these two classic candy staples.

For Valentine’s Day 2021, you can once again share a box of sweets with your sweetie and enjoy the updated phrases on these heart-shaped candies such as “Bestie,” “Wink, Wink,” True Love,” and of course, “Be Mine.”

Conversation Hearts are perfect for handing out with a Valentine’s Day card, which is why this year we are making them available in a box of 36 individual packs. Each contains an assortment of flavors that may include lemon, apple, blue raspberry, strawberry, grape and orange.

Looking for other Valentine sweets? No problem! Be sure to check out all of our Valentine’s Day candy before they’re gone as many are only manufactured once a year.

If the thought of NECCO Wafers got you reminiscing about some of your favorite old time candy, don’t forget to check out our Nostalgic Candy collection.

Many of the brands you grew up with are still manufactured today but can’t be found in the big box stores, they’re only available from specialty retailers like Blair Candy.

We’ve got some BIG news for chocolate lovers! The confectioners at Hershey’s have just released some new varieties of our favorite candy bars that will make your mouth water. Let’s take a look:

Reese’s Big Cup with Pretzels
There is no more successful marriage than that between chocolate and peanut butter. Reese’s have been combining these two since their famous peanut butter cups were introduced nearly a century ago in 1928. Since then, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have become one of the world’s most popular chocolate bars.

The latest creation to come out is a massive Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup that features chunks of pretzels in the center. Now not only can you get your chocolate-peanut butter fix, but one that also includes pretzels!

How does it taste? Well, let’s just say the saltiness of the pretzel bits makes an awesome accompaniment to one of our all-time favorites. And don’t forget… this peanut butter cup is BIG!

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KIT KAT DUOS Mocha + Chocolate
Building off the success of KIT KAT’s first DUO flavor, Mint + Chocolate, Hershey’s is introducing yet another flavor – Mocha + Chocolate. These King Size (yes, another BIG chocolate bar) KIT KAT DUOS feature the original crisp wafer that the candy bar is known for, but adds in a delectable mix of mocha creme, coffee bits, and the rich milk chocolate you crave.

If you love the taste of a mocha cappuccino, you’re going to love this candy bar!

Haven’t tasted the Mint + Chocolate KIT KAT DUO yet? Well, that King Size bar combines a classic mint flavored creme with luscious dark chocolate for an extra special treat. If you’re a dark chocolate lover, you need to give it a try!

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Now that we have you craving some delicious candy, we want to remind you that we have lots more Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup varieties and seasonal favorites, as well as some additional unique KIT KAT flavors including Apple Pie!

If you’ve been digging into the stash of Halloween candy you have set aside for trick-or-treaters, or have “snuck” a piece or two from your kid’s overflowing bucket of sweet treats – you’re not alone!

We weren’t too surprised to learn that according to a survey commissioned by the National Confectioners Association, 79% of parents surveyed admit to taking candy from their children.

It’s ok, if you’re one of them… after all who can resist a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup or delicious Halloween Popcorn Balls?

If you think it’s hard to resist dipping into your kid’s candy haul, imagine how hard it is for us to walk around a huge candy warehouse every day where the sweet smell of chocolate is everywhere and we’re surrounded with tons of nostalgic candy, seasonal treats, and yummy snacks.

So if you’re one of the 79% who admitted snatching some of that delicious Halloween candy, it’s ok. We’re just trying to figure out how the 21% who didn’t were able to resist the temptation!

While Halloween will be a little different this year, some communities are still allowing trick-or-treating with safe protocols in effect. Local stores, community centers, and organizations are offering socially distant ways for kids to get their fill of candy, while some folks are getting creative with the ways they plan on treating the little ghosts and goblins who may pay a visit.

Check out the video below for a creative way for you to whip up a super spooky candy chute that will allow you to welcome trick-or-treaters and be the envy of your neighbors:

So on November 1st, you have our thumbs up to grab that bag of candy, grab a few of your favorites, and enjoy! After all, the sweetest holiday of the year only comes around once a year.