The sugary ghosts of yesteryear haunt every grocery store checkout line. Where once stood towering displays of familiar favorites, now only empty spaces remind us of what we’ve lost. During the pandemic of 2020 to 2022, we saw the largest discontinuation of products in our 97-year history, with certain brands, such as Brach’s, on the verge of extinction. These vanished treats weren’t just confections. They were cultural touchstones that marked birthdays, Halloween adventures, and countless childhood moments.
Amazingly, 65 percent of candy bars in production have been around for over 60 years, but, as Bob Dylan sang, “Times they are a-changin.'” More brands are being discontinued than ever as companies merge, are purchased by private equity, or go out of business. The candy industry’s recent upheavals have erased beloved brands faster than ever before. Food historians and cultural scholars have taken notice, recognizing these losses as more than mere business decisions.
NECCO Wafers – America’s Oldest Survivor Story
At the time, Necco was the oldest candy company in the United States. When news broke in 2018 that this institution, founded in 1847, might close forever, something remarkable happened. Online sales of Necco Wafers and other products subsequently spiked, with buyers concerned that the candy would be discontinued, some even offering to sell a car for Necco Wafers. “And the person actually started to cry and they said they couldn’t imagine a world without their NECCO wafers,” Prince said.
These chalk-like candies, with their distinctive eight-flavor profile, were quickly adopted by Union soldiers during the Civil War, who found them to be the perfect pocket-sized snack to sustain them on the battlefield. In 1899, the U.S. government officially incorporated the candies into military rations, recognizing their ability to provide concentrated calories without spoiling, even in the harshest of conditions. This partnership deepened during World War I, when the government purchased the company’s entire annual production run, ensuring that every Necco Wafer was redirected into soldiers’ ration packs. According to historical records, the government’s wartime orders accounted for a staggering 100% of Necco’s output in 1917, demonstrating the critical role these candies played in sustaining American troops.
Cultural historian Dr. Samira Kawash notes that Though not everyone is a fan of the way the wafers taste – they are often described as having a chalky, antacid-like flavor – some people love them for other reasons. As NPR reported last month, Spencer Ordway, who runs an overnight camp in Maine, said he stocked up because campers use the wafers as currency to play games and buy prizes at the end-of-summer carnival. The brand’s resurrection by Spangler Candy in 2020 proved that some American traditions refuse to die quietly.
Jujubes – The Jaw-Breaking Childhood Challenge
Jujubes were the younger sibling of Jujyfruits, the much softer, fruit-shaped candies. Jujubes had actually been around for several decades by the time the 1970s rolled around; the candy was first introduced in the 1920s by the Heide company. They were very popular and survived major sales and mergers (Hersheys bought Heide in 1995, Farley & Sathers bought the rights to Heide candies in 2002, and then Farley & Sathers merged with Ferrara Pan in 2012). These tiny gumdrops represented more than just candy. They were a rite of passage.
Speaking of candy that was the arch enemy of dental work, Jujubes were also a major memory for many from the ’70s. The small, flat-topped gumdrops were so chewy and stiff that, once you managed to bite into one, you could temporarily glue your jaw together until the candy softened. Then, you had to deal with the newly softened candy sticking to all your teeth for several minutes. Food historians recognize this physical struggle as part of the candy’s appeal. Children often measured their growing strength against Jujubes’ legendary resistance.
However, while the candies may be harder to find in some retail stores, they have not been discontinued and are still manufactured by Ferrara Candy Company. The end of Jujubes marked the conclusion of nearly a century of American confectionery history.
Butterfinger BB’s – The Bite-Sized Revolution
A bite-sized start: Butterfinger BB’s were introduced by Nestlé in 1992. It was a bite-sized version of the classic Butterfinger bar. They had a crispy peanut butter core coated in chocolate. These poppable morsels represented the candy industry’s growing obsession with portion control and snack convenience. Cultural food historians point to BB’s as emblematic of 1990s snacking culture.
Dirty fingers: They were discontinued in 2006 due to declining sales. This seemingly minor technical flaw doomed one of the decade’s most beloved innovations. The candy’s downfall illustrates how manufacturing challenges often trump consumer preference in corporate boardrooms. Children who grew up sharing handfuls of BB’s remember them as social currency in school cafeterias.
The brand’s failure also highlighted changing manufacturing priorities. Nestlé’s decision to abandon the product rather than invest in temperature-resistant formulations spoke volumes about the industry’s increasing focus on efficiency over innovation. Food culture experts cite this as a turning point when convenience began trumping creativity in candy development.
Wonka Bars – When Fiction Became Reality
Fictional beginnings: The Wonka Bar was introduced in 1971 by the Quaker Oats Company. It was based on the film and book “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” Original bars were quickly pulled from the shelves due to production issues. The concept of bringing literary candy to life represented one of the most ambitious crossover marketing attempts in confectionery history.
Revival & Downfall: Nestlé acquired the Wonka brand in 1988. They brought the Wonka Bar back into the market in the early 2000s. To support the release of the new 2005 film “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” They even promoted golden tickets as promotional prizes. Declining sales led Nestlé to discontinue the Wonka Bar and other Wonka candies. The rights were sold to Ferrero in 2018.
The 2005 Nestlé release coincided with the Tim Burton and Johnny Depp version of the childhood classic that hit cinemas the same year. Nestlé Wonka Bars were made from milk chocolate and Graham crackers and were the same wide, rectangular shape as the Wonka Bars portrayed in the films. They stayed on shelves until 2010, by which time hype for the film had died down. Cultural historians recognize the Wonka Bar as a unique example of reverse product placement, where fictional candy inspired real-world manufacturing.
Seven Up Bar – The Flavor Adventure
One of the more intriguing candy bars we’d love to bring back is the Seven Up bar. No: It had nothing to do with the 7-Up soda. Instead, it was a chocolate candy bar with seven different flavors – each inside an individual compartment within the bar. Interestingly, the flavors you might experience might be different from one batch to the next; the company appeared to assess what was popular with fans – as well as what ingredients they could source – when determining flavors.
The name and the cost of the ingredients eventually put an end to this candy. There were trademark issues related to 7-Up soda given the brand had been around since 1929, while the candy didn’t make an appearance on the scene until the 1930s. Still, it didn’t disappear from the market until 1979. Food historians point to the Seven Up Bar as an early example of experiential eating, decades before molecular gastronomy made surprise flavors fashionable.
The candy’s variable flavor profile represented a radical departure from standardization principles that dominated industrial food production. Each bar became a small adventure, challenging consumer expectations about consistency. Its forty-year run proved that novelty could sustain a brand even without massive marketing budgets.
Caravelle Bar – The Underdog’s Victory
Caravelle, from the Peter Paul Candy Company, wasn’t the competition. However, it was outlasted by a competitor that, according to Caravelle fans, wasn’t even close in terms of flavor and texture. Caravelle started off its short life in 1965 only to be challenged by the introduction of the $100,000 bar in 1966 (That’s now known as the 100 Grand bar). Both bars had caramel centers wrapped in chocolate with crispy rice, but Caravelle had a better texture and softer caramel.
You’d think that a bar with such a description would have had a longer life, but no. It was discontinued around the end of 1977 or beginning of 1978, and it’s not known whether the reason was a shelf-life issue – that could just be a rumor – or the fact that Cadbury Schweppes bought Peter Paul around that time, too. It wouldn’t be unusual for a new owner to revamp a newly acquired company’s line of products.
Confectionery historians cite Caravelle as a classic example of how superior products don’t always survive market competition. The brand’s demise illustrates how corporate acquisitions often prioritize streamlining over preserving quality. Devoted fans still argue that Caravelle’s softer caramel and better texture made it objectively superior to its surviving competitor.
Fruit Stripe Gum – The Fleeting Flavor Explosion
Less than a week after that conversation, Fruit Stripe gum has been discontinued after 54 years. The news was confirmed in a statement from the gum’s parent company, Ferrara Candy Company. A rep for the company said in a statement, “We have made the difficult decision to sunset Fruit Stripe Gum, but consumers may still be able to find product at select retailers nationwide.” The statement continued, “The decision to sunset this product was not taken lightly, and we considered many factors before coming to this decision, including consumer preferences, and purchasing patterns – and overall brand trends for Fruit Stripe Gum.”
Food culture researchers identify Fruit Stripe as representative of 1960s optimism about artificial flavoring technology. The gum’s rainbow stripes promised an explosion of fruit flavors that lasted exactly long enough to create anticipation for the next piece. Children developed elaborate rituals around the gum’s brief flavor lifecycle, often chewing multiple pieces simultaneously to extend the experience.
The brand’s 54-year run represented remarkable longevity for a product universally acknowledged to lose its flavor within minutes. Historians suggest this paradox reveals something profound about childhood psychology and the appeal of ephemeral pleasures. The zebra mascot became an icon of temporary satisfaction, teaching generations that good things don’t always last.
The Cultural Legacy of Lost Sweets
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that candy was pretty complicated. It has such powerful emotional associations, especially with childhood. These discontinued brands represent more than failed business ventures. They constitute a lost chapter of American cultural history, each one reflecting the values and priorities of its era.
As you will see, candies have played an undeniable role in American history. Candy industry giants have helped shape our culture and our economy at home and abroad. We’ve even sent some of our sweet treats overseas to help fuel our soldiers at times of war. The disappearance of these brands marks the end of specific cultural moments that defined childhood for millions of Americans.
Contemporary food historians increasingly recognize candy as a legitimate area of cultural study. These lost brands serve as artifacts of changing consumer preferences, manufacturing capabilities, and marketing strategies. Each discontinued product tells a story about corporate priorities, technological limitations, and shifting social values that shaped American childhood experiences across multiple generations.
The phenomenon of candy nostalgia reveals how deeply food memories embed themselves in personal identity. What seems like simple sugar confections actually function as time machines, instantly transporting adults back to specific moments of childhood wonder and discovery. Did you expect these vanished treats to hold such profound cultural significance?
