BE MINE – Limited “Sweethearts” this Valentine’s Day

The iconic Valentine’s Day candy – Sweethearts – will be in limited supply this year – they will be available at drugstores including CVS and Walgreens, but they will look different – not every heart will include the sayings, and the saying selection will be limited – here’s what the company that bought NECCO says about this year and the future…

What’s the sweetest way to celebrate Valentine’s Day? With Sweethearts, of course! These iconic heart-shaped candies have been exchanged between classmates, friends and loved ones for well over a century.

The Return of Sweethearts

In 2018 Sweethearts were in danger of disappearing forever when their owner went bankrupt and there was no one to save the brand. As a century-old candy maker, Spangler knew how important Sweethearts were to the Valentine season. Spangler acquired the brand (NECCO of Massachusetts) that year but not in time to make Sweethearts for Valentine’s 2019. Sweethearts were missed by thousands of fans and the news of their absence was covered by hundreds of media outlets.

In 2020, Spangler was able to return Sweethearts to store shelves in limited quantities after a major effort to relocate and rebuild the production equipment, find the original recipe and return classic flavors to the mix like wintergreen and banana. The journey back included a few bumps in the road. The old printing equipment was not reliable so Spangler invested in a new printer, but it was accidentally damaged during production. The result was a few more “silent” hearts than usual.

Spangler is looking to the future for Sweethearts and is committed to fully returning them to the Valentine season. Plans for fun new sayings and flavors are already in the works!

Did You Know?

In the 1860s, Daniel Chase was the first to print sayings on candy hearts. Daniel was the brother of Oliver Chase, the founding father of the candy manufacturer NECCO. Daniel invented a machine that pressed a felt roller pad moistened with red vegetable coloring against a printing dye which would stamp the sayings on the hearts. The printed hearts were originally shared at parties and weddings.

The Sweethearts brand was created in 1902. The original hearts included sayings that are still popular today including “Be Mine,” “Be Good,” “Be True,” and “Kiss Me.” Sweethearts grew in popularity over the next several decades.

In the early 1990s, Sweethearts began to update the sayings each year, retiring some while adding others. The first new phrase, “Fax Me,” gained a lot of attention from Sweetheart fans. Following this notable effort, each year Sweethearts receives hundreds of suggestions from romantics, candy lovers and school kids. From old tech, “Call Me” to new tech, “Text Me,” Sweethearts phrases have reflected eras throughout history.

Today’s phrases reflect some of the favorite sayings from years gone by and we’re eager to create new favorites with you!

For more information on Spangler’s go to: www.spanglercandy.com