Necco Wafers, A Real American Candy
If you grew up in the past century, chances are you've tasted a Necco wafer at some point; maybe as a Halloween treat that you either traded or enjoyed, or as a gifted candy from you Grandparents or other elder. Necco wafers are iconic, and for good reason.
Did you know: Necco stands for New England Confectionery Company, and was started in 1847 by Oliver Chase, an English immigrant, operating near Boston, Massachusetts.
Oliver invented a lozenge cutting machine to produce these sugary treats, and by the time of the Civil War, they were being carried by Union soldiers going into battle. As a matter of fact, Necco wafers are such a symbol of Americana, that the United States government ordered them to be produced and shipped overseas for soldiers in World War II. Upon returning home, many soldiers remained loyal customers and this has cemented the popularity of the unique candy within our society.
Changing But Staying The Same
In the course of history, the Necco company has been acquired several times, and found a new home with Spangler Candy around 2018, but that's not all that has changed.
Necco ingredients and formulations create a very distinct palette of flavors, including Orange, Licorice, Clove, Wintergreen, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Lemon and Lime, but there have been some flavor and ingredient tests during these wafers lifetimes!
Experiments were conducted to alter the mouth feel and consistency of the candy, as well as testing variations of the Cinnamon, Lemon, and Chocolate flavors, with the results being a return to the original recipe; once again cementing Necco's status of true American icon!
Candy For Everyone
Although the traditional Necco wafers are the most sought after variety, we have seen some iterations with funky flavors, like tropical and sour, as well as holiday blends featuring candy cane flavors.
You can find the traditional assorted or chocolate variety right here on our site and hope you've enjoyed taking a walk into candy history with us! See you soon.
