Spangler Candy Buys Necco, Sweethearts

Spangler Candy Company of Bryan, Ohio, has acquired two iconic candy brands – Sweethearts and NECCO Wafers. The company obtained brands and equipment after a series of transactions precipitated by the New England Confectionery Company (NECCO) bankruptcy earlier this year.
“Sweethearts and Necco Wafers are iconic brands with rich hundred-year-plus histories. These are perfect additions to our portfolio of traditional candies,” Spangler Candy Chairman and CEO Kirk Vashaw said. “We are particularly excited about the Sweethearts brand. Many people have memories of sorting through their box of Sweethearts to find just the right message to share.”
Sweethearts, created in 1901, is one of the original Valentine treats, known for its heart-shaped candies imprinted with messages such as “Be Mine,” “Miss You,” and “Love Me”. Through the years Sweethearts has reflected cultural changes through updated and retired sayings such as “Call me,” “Fax me,” “Text me,” and “Tweet Me”.
Necco Wafers date back to 1847, when Oliver Chase, an English immigrant, invented a lozenge-cutting machine with which he produced the wafers. They were a popular treat for soldiers during the Civil War, and later for World War II soldiers overseas because the wafers were easy to transport and did not melt.
In addition to Sweethearts and Necco Wafers, Spangler also will manufacture Canada Mints, a lesser known but still popular brand that is made on the same equipment.
Spangler Candy Company has been family owned and operated since 1906. It is one of the largest lollipop producers in the world with its Dum-Dums brand, and the only major candy cane producer in the United States. Other products include Saf-T-Pops and Spangler Circus Peanuts
“The combination of Dum-Dums, candy canes, Sweethearts, and NECCO Wafers will make Spangler a stronger company within the global confectionery market and will be a catalyst for growth,” said Vashaw. “Our new brands and our campus expansion will have direct benefits to our consumers, customers, suppliers, employees and the communities where we do business.”

New Brands Mean Campus Expansion

To accommodate the new brands, Spangler Candy also announced that it’s expanding its campus and its product lines.
Located next door to the Spangler campus, the former NEO facilities were originally owned and operated by the ARO Corporation, which manufactured equipment. At one point, ARO employed more than 1,000 people in the Bryan facilities.
Work on the new campus will be continuing for some time, Vashaw said. “Significant renovations have to happen at New Era to bring it up to food grade standards.”
“There are a lot of manufacturing challenges and unanswered questions at this point, and we want to make sure these brands meet consumer expectations when they re-enter the market. We look forward to announcing the Sweethearts relaunch for the 2020 Valentine season, and hope to reintroduce Necco Wafers to the marketplace in 2019.” For more information, visit www.spanglercandy.com.