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What would Halloween be without candy corn?  It has been enjoyed for over 100 years.  According to Brach’s, the top branded maker of candy corn, each year Americans buy enough Brach’s candy corn that if the kernels were laid end to end, they would circle around the Earth 4.5 times.  Brach’s candy pumpkin, known by the trademark name “Mellow Cream” is the most popular candy pumpkin.  They are popular both for their unique texture and for being fat free.  Candy pumpkins are made using the same process used to make candy corn.  The ingredients include corn syrup, real honey, and sugar. 

Amusingly, candy pumpkins played a role in the U.S. Implementation of Daylight Saving Time.  Since the 1960s, candy makers had wanted to get the trick-or-treat period covered by Daylight Saving.  They believed if children had an extra hour of daylight, they would have more time to collect candy, which would boost candy sales.  During the 1985 U.S. Congressional hearings on Daylight Saving, the candy industry went so far as to put candy pumpkins on the seat of every senator, hoping to win a little favor.  Soon, Daylight Saving Time was extended through the first Sunday in November.

By: Ashley Popham

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From the creators of Rips Licorice, Eiffel Bon Bons, Big Fat Hissee Fit, and many more, I present to you… The Foreign Candy Company, Inc. This brand thrives on delivering fun, flavorful, and unique candies that are loved by both kids and adults.

The story behind this brand is one that began in 1976 when Peter W. De Yager stumbled onto an overnight success. Yager, who was a high school German teacher at the time this adventure began, started taking his students on trips abroad. After one trip to a gummy bear factory in Germany, the students decided to sell their candy as a fundraiser to raise money for the next year’s trip. It turns out that selling foreign candy was a huge success, so Yager decided to begin selling the candy across the country. Continue Reading »

Friends and family will likely remember “Paula’s Red Hot Marathon of 2006.” No, it wasn’t a fiery run; it was my shamless order of three cases of Red Hots direct from the manufacturer to be shipped to my door, and the consumption that ensued. I’m blaming the new baby hormones.

Red Hots have always been my candy of choice. There’s something about that hot flavor getting stuck in my teeth that epitomizes how a candy should behave. And let me clarify: Red Hots are the BRAND; the generics are called cinnamon imperials. I’ve had the knock-offs, and believe me, there is only one Red Hot.

Ferrara Pan is the creator of the Red Hot, and the company brand has an interesting history. Created as a namesake for the founder, Salvatore Ferrara, Ferrara Pan was founded in 1908 in Chicago, Illinois. The word “pan” in the company name indicates that some of the candy they make is “panned”. This process involves building candy pieces from single units, such as grains of sugar, nuts or candy centers, tossing them in revolving pans while adding the flavor, color and other candy ingredients. This process continues until the pieces become the desired size. Finally, the candy gets a high polish with an edible vegetable wax, which gives it an attractive appearance.

In terms of branding, the company has retained a functional, yet personality-infused continuity with its line of products: Red Hots, LemonHead, Atomic FireBall, Jaw Busters, Boston Baked Beans, Black Forest Gummies, and Ferrara Chocolates. With the exception of the Boston Baked Beans, I can look at their candy lineup and know exactly what I’m getting.

Check out the company’s virtual tours of “How Panned Candy Is Made.” And if you see a box (or bag) of Red Hots at the convenience store, pick one up for me.

Maybe it’s our sense of whimsy … Maybe it’s our roots as hunter/gatherers … whatever the explanation, whether you prefer a handful of cheesy goldfish or a fresh box of animal crackers, there is no denying the fun in biting into something that could bite you back.

The gummi bear is arguably the king of critter-shaped snacks, and HARIBO, a German confectionary company founded in 1920, proudly distinguishes itself from the candy masses as the original creator of these malleable mammals. Today, HARIBO is the biggest manufacturer of gummy and jelly candies in the world.

The gummi bear, (known as Gummibar or rubber bear in German), was created after World War II and introduced in the 1960s under the brand Gold-Bears. An instant success, the product has since seen several flavor and shape variations, with brand extensions such as Snack-packs, Roulettes, and Happy Cola. More intriguing sub-brands like Starmix, Tangfastics, Kiddies Supermix, Maoam and Strawbs can be found abroad. The candy even inspired a late 80s television show, Disney’s Adventures of the Gummi Bears (though I personally found that to be the least palatable of the brand’s many extensions).

Although Trolli and many others have created formidable gummi competition, the original Gold Bears, with their iconic gold, red and black packaging, have dominated their space for a half-century and show no signs of slowing down. After all, as the tagline says, “kids and grown-ups love it so, the happy world of HARIBO.”

And if you were wondering, there is a reason why HARIBO appears in all-caps; the name is an acronym–borrowing the first two letters of the founder’s first and last name, Hans Riegel, as well as the first two letters of the location of the corporate headquarters in Bonn, Germany.

Contributed by: Maghan Cook