They Were Lying

Fake news or just bad stocking, a story ran about missing Valentine candy.

No ‘Sweethearts’ candy

this Valentine’s Day

after company

goes out of business

Micah Walker, Detroit Free Press Published 7:39 a.m. ET Jan. 23, 2019 |

For those who struggle to find the right words to say to their significant other this Valentine’s Day, there will be one less option this year to express those feelings.

‘Sweethearts’ will be missing from the shelves this year, as the company that makes the candy, the New England Confectionary Co., went out of business.

According to candystore.com, the conversation heart candies are the most popular confection for the holiday, pulling in $1.8 billion in sales. The candies are known for classic sayings such as, “Be Mine” and “Cutie Pie.” 

This year, sales for the conversation hearts are expected to drop by more than 80 percent. 

Necco folded in July 2018 after operating for more than 100 years. Along with ‘Sweethearts’, the company produced Mary Janes, Necco Wafers and Clark bars. 

Panic buying ensued from shoppers in March 2018 after the news broke that Necco may be folding, with sales jumping more than 50 percent.

Round Hill Investments, who then sold the company to Spangler Candy Co. in September, later bought Necco in an auction. With only five months left until Valentine’s Day, Spangler did not have enough time to produce a large number of ‘Sweethearts’. 

You can still find the beloved candy now – but it will cost a pretty penny.

Amazon is selling boxes starting at $9, and on eBay, an eight-pack box of candies is going for $12. 

Oliver R. Chase invented a machine in 1847 to cut lozenges from wafer candy, similar to Necco Wafers, and started a candy factory.

Daniel Chase, Oliver’s brother, began printing sayings on the candy in 1866. He designed a machine that was able to press on the candy similar to a stamp. The candy was often used for weddings since the candies had witty saying such as: “Married in pink, he will take a drink”, “Married in White, you have chosen right”, and “Married in Satin, Love will not be lasting”.

The heart-shaped conversation candies to be called ‘Sweethearts’ got their start in 1901. Other styles were formerly produced such as lozenges, postcards, horseshoes, watches, and baseballs. As of 2010, the classic pastel candy formula is abandoned.

‘Sweethearts’ (also known as conversation hearts) are small heart-shaped sugar candies sold around Valentine’s Day. Each heart is printed with a message such as “Be Mine”, “Kiss Me”, “Call Me”, “Let's Get Busy”, or “Miss You”. The New England Confectionery Company, or Necco, previously also made by the Stark Candy Company, made sweethearts. Necco manufactured nearly 8 billion ‘Sweethearts’ per year. A similar type of candy is sold in the UK under the name ‘Love Hearts’.

For years, the Oak Brook-based candy-maker has produced the Brach’s brand of Valentine’s Day heart candy, known as ‘Conversation Hearts’.

‘Sweethearts’ are now softer candies with vivid colors and all new flavors, which are more intense and even a bit sourer. These new flavors include sour apple, strawberry, and “spring fresh.” Line extensions carrying the ‘Sweethearts’ brand include chocolates and sugar-free hearts.

To update itself for today’s texting times, Ferrara has given a face-lift to some of its hearts for the modern, acronym-savvy consumer. In addition to “Adorbz,” Brach’s hearts will also read, “Text me,” “BFF” and “TTYL” (Talk To You Later), among other sayings.

And perhaps the ‘Conversation Heart’ lasered with “LYMY” (Love you Miss You) can provide some solace to ‘Sweetheart’s’ die-hard fans.

But will the ‘Sweethearts’ purists convert?

Growing up, ‘Sweethearts’ were a February ritual at school. Even though we were just old enough to tie our shoelaces and tell time, holidays became class assignments. Christmas, Halloween, President’s Day, July 4^th, New Year’s Day, Columbus Day, etc… all became daily or weekly lessons with parties and art projects and excuses for not learning trigonometry, civics, philosophy or sex ed.

On Valentine’s Day we would get red construction paper and cut out hearts with our round tip scissors and then write sweet notes to our parents to show what we had done in class that day. We would also be dealt a half dozen ‘Sweethearts’ to pass back and forth to other classmates.

We were too young to understand “Be Mine” or “Love You” or certainly “Kiss Me”. There were none that said, “Let’s Get It On” or “I Want You to..” “LOL”

Valentine’s Day was the only day these chalky colored dots of sugar were ever used because they just didn’t taste good. ‘Sweethearts’ were like eating medicine.

After the bankruptcy of Necco, Spangler Candy Company acquired the rights to the candy on September 21, 2018. Because of the change, ‘Sweethearts’ will not be sold for Valentine’s Day in 2019 but will be available in 2020.