Sweet Memories

Ah, the 70’s! The decade that brought us bell-bottom pants, disco music, and All In The Family also introduced us to some unique candy that, believe it or not, is still around today! While candy manufacturers are constantly creating new confectionary delights for us to snack on, these way-out sweets from the “Me Decade” still satisfy our sugar cravings.

Let’s take a look at some of our favorites!

Charms Blow Pops
While lollipops were first introduced over a hundred years ago, the most famous pop didn’t arrive until 1973 when the Charms Candy Company introduced the Blow Pop. This lollipop features a candy shell wrapped around a delicious piece of bubble gum that we bet you can taste right now! How popular is this sweet treat? Charms says Blow Pops remains their best-selling item of all time.

Bottle Caps
Here’s a candy you either loved or hated. Bottle Caps came on the scene in 1972 and are considered a “tablet” candy that has their ingredients (aka sweet stuff) compressed into a custom shape. In the case of Bottle Caps, that shape was… well, a bottle cap! Similar to Smarties, Bottle Caps were originally sold in soda flavors with a bit of a fizz to them when you chewed them. Today, Bottle Caps are no longer cap-shaped but still come in cola, root beer, cherry, grape, and orange flavors you grew up with.

Pop Rocks
Ok, we know you heard the rumor about a kid named Mikey who starred in a cereal commercial and supposedly met an untimely demise due to Pop Rocks. That was way before the Internet was around to dispel crazy rumors! And no, nothing happened to the kid, but it did get all of us curious about these fizzing candies back in the ’70s and ’80s. Pop Rocks made their debut back in 1975 and were little rock-like candies that when placed in your mouth fizzed and popped and made all of us wonder just how they do it. Pop Rocks are still around today, just like Cher.

Everlasting Gobstopper
Willy Wonka turned us all on to the Everlasting Gobstopper in the hit movie back in 1971, but it took a few more years for the silver-screen candy to make its in-store debut. Everlasting Gobstoppers hit the shelves in 1976, although normal gobstoppers, or jawbreakers as some called them, were around for a while. But the Everlasting Gobstopper was special – it lasted longer than those other kinds and we flocked to the candy store to buy them by the sack full. And we still do today!

Whatchamacallit
Let’s go back to 1978 when a delicious candy with a funny name was introduced – Whatchamacallit! This candy bar features a peanut butter crisp covered in chocolate that we all ran to the store to get just because it had a funny name. Well, it was new and we all like to try new stuff. Anyway, the Whatchamacallit bar never really got the attention it deserved and was one of those candy bars that continue to live in obscurity, but, are still made and enjoyed.

We hope you enjoyed this sweet trip down memory lane to reminisce about our favorite nostalgic candy from the 1970s!

When talking about candy and someone mentions PEZ, chances are you think about the dispensers first and the candy second. After all, the unique PEZ dispensers are what makes this candy, that dates back to the 1920’s, still popular today.

Eduard Haas III invented PEZ back in 1927 as a peppermint candy in Austria. The name PEZ comes from the German name for peppermint, “PfeffErminZ.” We capitalized the P, E and Z so you can see just how the candy’s name came about.

Originally intended to be a substitute for smoking, these peppermint candies were first sold in tin boxes until 1949 when the dispenser that we know so well today was invented.

It wasn’t until 1952 that PEZ made its way to the United States and became an instant hit with kids, and later with collectors, clamoring to get the fun dispensers that featured heads of favorite comic book characters, cartoon favorites, and more.

Collecting PEZ dispensers turned into a hobby for people around the world with the first PEZ Convention in 1991. Some rare dispensers are worth quite a bit of money and turned out to be a pretty good investment!

PEZ continues to manufacture billions of candy pieces a year and along with special limited edition dispensers that sell out quickly. Over the years famous characters from Star Wars, Orange County Choppers, and everyone’s favorite – Mickey Mouse – have found their way on a PEZ dispenser.

Collectors turn to us when a limited release is coming out and here are some of the more popular ones that are available right now:

PEZ Harry Potter Collectable Gift Tin
The PEZ Harry Potter Gift Tin Features four Harry Potter PEZ Dispensers: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and gift tin exclusive Dumbledore. This is a perfect gift for any Harry Potter fan!

PEZ Crayola Gift Set
This may look like a traditional Crayola crayon box, but inside you’ll find four real crayons, a coloring sheet and four all new Crayola PEZ Dispensers in Blue, Green, Yellow and Red along with eight PEZ Candy refills.

Scooby Doo PEZ Dispensers
With the new Scooby Doo movie now available, these PEZ dispensers are selling faster than Scooby can eat a bag of Scooby snacks! Each pack may include all or some of these characters: Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne, or Fred.

Peppa Pig PEZ Dispensers
The popular children’s cartoon character, Peppa Pig, is joined by a cavalcade of friends in their own PEZ collection. Each pack may include all or some of these characters: Peppa, George, Princess Peppa, or Pirate George.

Whether you’ve been collecting PEZ dispensers for decades, or just getting into it, you can count on us to have all the latest releases as they become available, plus a full collection of classics. Be sure to check out our complete selection today.

When you think of gummy candy, the first thing that comes to mind is Gummi Bears, of course. Everyone seems to love these colorful, fruit flavored snacks but we bet you don’t know the history of this “bear-y delicious” candy.

The gummy bear was born in Germany, a creation of candy maker Hans Riegel Sr., who got the idea of creating a bear shaped candy after seeing trained bears perform in street shows throughout Europe. In 1922, he introduced the first gummy candy which he named Dancing Bear which became the predecessor of the candy we know and love today.

The popularity of Riegel’s Dancing Bear spawned a slightly smaller version of the treat which was introduced in 1967 called Gold-Bears. These are the gummi bears we gobble up by the millions today and are still manufactured by Riegel’s company – Haribo.

Gold-Bears gummi candy comes in five delicious flavors: raspberry (red); orange (orange); strawberry (green); pineapple (colorless); and lemon (yellow).

The success Haribo had with their gummy candy over the years spawned other candy manufacturers to get into the business of gummies making this type of sweet snack one of the most popular around the world.

Besides the original bear, gummi candy can be found in all shapes, sizes and flavors. Some of the more unique ones include:

Gummy Sharks
There’s nothing fishy about these gummy sharks that are big sellers a few times a year – especially when it’s Shark Week on TV or during the summer when you’re hosting a JAWS viewing party from your swimming pool.

Cola Bottles
These are now manufactured by a few different candy companies, but Haribo’s Happy Cola gummy bottles are one of our faves. Shaped like a classic Coca Cola bottle, you’ll want to pop one open for a cola-like treat.

Gummy Worms
Next to gummi bears, gummy worms are the most popular gummy candy. They’re used for ice cream toppings, creepy Halloween treats, or just as a snack that kids love to eat to say “I ate a worm!”

There you have it! A little history of the gummy bear that started it all and some of our top picks. Be sure to check out all the different types of gummy candy that we stock.

Like you, all of us at Blair Candy are busy buying gifts and getting ready for the holidays. Many of our team members here at our candy warehouse scooped up some great deals on Cyber Monday. But over lunch, someone asked, “what did we sell the most of?”

So we dug in and came up with a list of the Top 5 Biggest Selling Candy on Cyber Monday. (We filtered out Christmas Candy to come up with our list of traditional faves.)

#5 – Jumbo Rainbow Swirly Lollipops
Let’s admit it, we’re a sucker for these too! In fact, these are the first we think of whenever someone mentions the word lollipop. Colorful, big, and classic it’s no wonder these were one of our best selling items. We’re pretty sure there’s going to be plenty of smiles on kids’ faces when they find one of these in their stocking.

Rainbow Swirly Lollipop

#4 – Junior Mints
Junior Mints are a favorite any time of the year but more so this time of year when their minty flavor evokes holiday memories. These creamy mints covered in delicious milk chocolate are the perfect candy to snack on while curling up next to the fire while watching some classic holiday movies.

Junior Mints

#3 – Candy Cigarettes… or Candy Sticks
Whenever someone mentions nostalgic candy, this one always comes to mind. Think back to when you were a kid with a pocketful of change heading to the corner store – what did you buy? Penny candy and some Candy Cigarettes, of course! While these sugary treats can no longer be called Candy Cigarettes, fear not! Today’s Candy Sticks have the same flavor you remember as a youngster.

Candy Cigarettes

#2 – M & M’s Peanut
The candy that melts in your mouth, not in your hands made our list and it’s no surprise. A favorite of many, M & M’s are great for an afternoon snack, a lunchtime treat or anytime you want to get some of that great peanut and milk chocolate flavor you crave.

M & M Peanut

And here it is, the #1 selling candy on Cyber Monday was…

Candy Buttons
Another classic candy made our list and for good reason – everyone loves them! Candy Buttons have been around since the 1950’s and each year nearly a billion of these sweet treats are made. The lemon, lime, and cherry flavors of these candy dots have been a favorite for generations and it looks like they’ll be a favorite for many more.

Candy Buttons

There you have it!  Our list of the top-selling candy on Cyber Monday.  If you noticed that nostalgic candy made the list quite a bit, it’s no surprise.  We are the top destination for classic candy, so if you or someone you know is looking for hard-to-find nostalgic candy, just direct them to BlairCandy.com!

This spring we have seen an exciting release of new candy flavors from some of our favorite brands. M&M’s unveiled three new and exotic peanut flavors including Mexican Jalapeno and Thai Coconut. Reese’s came out with the thin version as well as two options that allow peanut butter lovers or chocolate lovers to have more of their favorite as the dominant flavor of each Reese’s cup. Peeps even got in on the action with new flavors like cotton candy as well as pancakes and syrup.

Our mouth is watering just reliving all the excitement; however, our main purpose here is not only to applaud the innovation but also to remember that there is no replacement for the classics.

Nostalgic candy such as Candy Buttons or Big Hunk will always have a special place in our heart, as will Cow Tails and Hot Tamales. We know that any flavor that made an impression during the formative years of childhood continues to stand out to those who enjoyed them. For this reason, we happily continue to carry as much nostalgic candy as we can to keep the flavors and the memories alive. 

Browse BlairCandy.com to find all your favorite candy classics and take trip down memory lane!

Guests at your wedding will appreciate a favor they can actually enjoy or use. Candy makes for a wonderful treat for anyone attending your special day. Display it as part of a candy bouquet, create candy favor bags, or put out bowls of wedding candy on each table for guests to nibble on – there are just so many ways to incorporate candy into your wedding plans!

But choosing the right wedding candy can be tricky. You want something that’ll please the crowd but still work with your wedding theme. At Blair Candy, we make it easy to shop for candies for your wedding by sorting our selection into categories so you can:

Shop by Candy Color: Match your candies to your table linens, bridesmaid dresses, flowers, or other wedding decor.

Shop for Wedding Candy Buffet Candy: Outfit your candy buffet for guests with ease by choosing sweets from this selection.

Shop for Nostalgic Candy: If your wedding has a retro-theme that you want to get guests into, consider serving up nostalgic wedding candy favorites.

We carry a wide variety of candy options to fit any occasion, so shop by the themes above or choose your and your future spouse’s favorites to adorn your tables or fill your favor bags!

Make your Independence Day even sweeter with patriotic treats from Blair Candy! We carry a selection of candies in red, white, and blue wrappers, along with candy that’s great for creating a festive buffet or goodie bags at your 4^th of July party.

Add a star-spangled touch to your Independence Day barbecue with a candy buffet displaying red, white, and blue Sixlets, lollipops, M&M’s, and gumballs. Then, as a thank you to your guests, create goodie bags with fruit punch, blue raspberry, and cherry limeade Frooties along with mints in American Flag wrappers.

At the end of the day, pack a picnic basket before you head out to see the fireworks, and include some packs of America Mix Skittles to snack on while watching the show!

Blair Candy offers lots of ways for you to add sweet patriotic details to your day with 4^th of July candy, so get creative with showing your USA pride!

Your special day is all about celebrating the sweetness of love and what better way to make your shower a little bit sweeter than with wedding candy? Wedding-themed candies can be a delicious way to add some color to your shower tables. Plus, they make for a sweet treat for your guests.

Here are a few ways you can use wedding candy in your shower centerpieces:

Colorful Candy Jars: There’s something about glass canisters filled to the brim with candies that makes you feel like a kid again. Choose wedding candy to match your wedding colors and then fill several glass jars with them to place in the center of your tables. Choose jars of varying heights and sizes for a whimsical touch.

Candy Bouquets: If you’re feeling crafty, turn wedding candy into a bouquet by using non-toxic adhesive to fasten candies by the wrapper onto wooden dowels in fun flower shapes! Or, if you want something that’s even more edible, unwrap the candies and use a cake maker’s adhesive, which is completely edible. There are tons of tutorials out there to help you make a wedding candy bouquet using tissue paper, a mix of fresh or artificial flowers, or other ingredients! Place your bouquet into a vase and enjoy.

Lollipop Trees: Decorate a clay flower pot and use floral foam to create a base for your lollipop tree. Then, use a wooden dowel or decorative rod to make for the “trunk”. At the top of the dowell, place a round, foam flower ball. Stick individual lollipops into the flower ball – you can make patterns, alternate colors, add bows or rhinestones, and so much more!

After the shower ends, encourage your guests to fill up their goodie bags with the decorations as a sweet favor!

Colorful, full of flavor, and tons of fun, Chupa Chups have been delighting lollipop lovers for ages! But how much do you know about these neat lollipops? Here is some of the history behind these super cool lollipops:

-Chupa Chups share the same birth year (1957) as many major stars: Madonna, Prince, The Smurfs, and Michael Jackson!

-They weren’t always called Chupa Chups. Originally, they were called GOL, then CHUPS, before a jingle gave them the final name, Chupa Chups.

-Only seven flavors were released when the lollipops hit candy stands. Strawberry, Orange, Lemon, Strawberry & Cream, Chocolate & Vanilla, Coffee & Cream, and Mint were the first flavors. Now, fans of Chupa Chups can find over 100 flavors!

-Famous artist Salvador Dali created the iconic logo. He made a simple sketch on the back of a newspaper!

-Chupa Chups were brought into space in 1994 and then had a species of sea sponge named after them in 1999.

Enjoy plenty of Chupa Chups lollipops in bulk today by visiting us at BlairCandy.com!

Jelly beans are one of our absolute favorite movie treats. When you settle in with a big bowl of popcorn, it’s nice to compliment the crunch with something sweet. At Blair Candy, we carry a huge selection of jelly beans to wow anyone on movie night. From cinnamon jelly beans to fruity flavors you’ve come to love since childhood, you can find just about any jelly bean to satisfy your craving!

If you’re looking for a flavorful and unexpected treat, whip up a batch of our marshmallow jelly bean popcorn. It’s a real crowd pleaser that will delight everyone joining you for the film – even if they’re not a big movie fan!

Marshmallow Jelly Bean Popcorn

Start by popping 10 cups of popcorn (use an air popper or any other popping method you prefer) and placing it into a large bowl. Add a bit of salt.

Then, in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and add 3 cups of mini marshmallows. Stir until the marshmallows have melted. Turn off the heat and pour ¾ of the marshmallow over the popcorn, folding together gently until the popcorn has been coated.

Pour the popcorn onto a prepared cookie sheet and drizzle with the remaining marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle on a handful of jelly beans (we love spicy cinnamon jelly beans for a little kick!) and allow for the popcorn to cool. Break apart to serve and enjoy!

Shop all jelly beans, movie candy and more at BlairCandy.com today!