The History of Candy
We all
love candy. But if I asked you who first created candy you probably
wouldn't know, right? Chances are not. Believe it or not, cavemen
were the first to create candy. They took hives of honey and dried
them out to make a taffy-like candy. From then on it was passed from
generation to generation. Below is a timeline of events that helped
shape candy to be what it is today.
Candy Timeline
1800s
1854 The first box of the Whitman’s chocolate was invented.
1868 Richard Cadbury discovers the first box of Valentine’s chocolate.
1880 The Wunderle Candy Company comes out with the first candy corn. Only after 1898 did candy corn become a Halloween favorite.
1893 William Wrigley Jr. made both Juicy Fruit and Spearmint Chewing Gum.
1896 Leo Hirshfield made the Tootsie Roll which he named after his daughter Tootsie.
1900s
1900 Milton S. Hershey makes the first Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar. It is one of the oldest American candies still existing today and is often known as The Great American Chocolate Bar.
1901 King Leo made the first peppermint stick candy.
1901 Necco Wafers are first invented. The name is actually an acronym which stands for the New England Confectionary Company.
1902 NECCO makes the first conversation candy hearts.
1905 The first peanut butter bar called Squirrel Nut Zipper is invented by the Squirrel Brand Company of Massachusetts.
1906 The first Hershey Milk Chocolate Kisses are invented.
1910s
1912 Life Savors are invented in peppermint flavor. 22 years later the popular five-savor roll was created.
1912 The Whitmans Sampler Box of Chocolate is first introduced. It was the first chocolate box that had an index card within it that would help you choose the specific candy that they wanted to have.
1913 Goo Goo Clusters are introduced. It was the first candy bar to mix chocolate, caramel, peanuts, and marshmallows together.
1920s
1920 The Baby Ruth is invented. Believe it or not, it was not named after Babe Ruth, but for President Grovers daughter, Ruth.
1921 Colorful sugar covered jelly candies named Chuckles are made.
1923 Mounds Chocolate Bar is introduced.
1923 The Mars Family introduces the Milky Way Candy Bar.
1923 A honey flavored taffy bar is introduced and called Bits-O-Honey.
1926 Milk Duds are introduced.
1928 Heath Bars are introduced.
1928 Reeses Peanut Butter Cups are introduced. Today it is the best selling candy in America.
1930s
1930 Snickers Bar is introduced by the M&M company. It was named
after the Mars
horse, Snicker
1931 The first two-in-one lollipop is introduced, the Tootsie Roll Pop.
1931 The Valomilk Candy Bar is introduced.
1932 The Mars Candy Bar is renamed Snickers Almond Crunch.
1932 In Chicago, Red Hots are introduced by the Ferrara Pan Candy Company.
1932 The 3 Musketeers Bar is invented.
1936 William Luden introduces the 5th Avenue Chocolate
Bar. He was also the creator of
Luden's Cough Drops
1939 Hershey’s Miniatures are introduced.
1940s
1945 The M&M company decided to change the 3 Musketeers bar to all chocolate.
1949 Junior Mints are made.
1949 Smarties Candy Roll is introduced.
1949 El Bubble Bubble Gum Cigars are introduced as the first five-cent candy.
1950s
1950 Bob Candy Canes are introduced as the Kris Cringle Brand.
1954 The Just Born Company introduces marshmallow chicks for Easter.
1958 Candy necklaces are introduced.
1960s
1960 The M&M Company introduces starburst fruit chews.
1960 Amurol Confections introduces the first sugar free chewing gum, called Blammo
1960 Ferrara Pan Candy Company introduces Lemon Heads.
1963 Sweet Tarts are introduced.
1970s
1970 The Snicker Munch Bar is created.
1976 Herman Goelitz Company introduces Jelly Bellies.
1978 Hersheys introduced Reeses Pieces.
1979 The Twix Bar is introduced.
1980s
1980 The Herman Goeltiz Company introduces the first gummy bears.
1981 Skittles are introduced.
1990s
1992 DOVE Dark Chocolate Bars and DOVE Milk Chocolate Bars are introduced.
1994 Starburst Jelly beans are introduced by The M&M Company.