It’s too sad to contemplate.
Valentine’s Day 2019 is looking like it will go down in history as the year of the Candy Conversation Heart Shortage — the holiday when tiny sugary hearts bearing messages of BE MINE, PUPPY LOVE and TEXT ME were hard to find.
Will America’s grade-schoolers find enough little boxes from other candy manufacturers to give to each other on Feb. 14? What will shy suitors do if they can’t find hearts imprinted with the sentiments they need to reach out to their prospective love interests? DARE YA.
Sure, other companies have stepped in to fill the void (WHATEVER), but the Sweethearts brand has been the overwhelming top seller. According to Reader’s Digest, they’ve been made using the same recipe since 1902, although the early hearts were accompanied by candies shaped like horseshoes, baseballs, watches and postcards.
Here’s the lowdown. Like all good romantic stories, it comes with a happy ending.
NECCO, the New England Confectionery Co., had made Sweetheart brand hearts and Necco wafers for decades but filed for bankruptcy last year. Fans feared their favorite sweets were gone forever.
And then … the DREAM TEAM at the Spangler Candy Co. stepped in and purchased those brands. WHY NOT?
(You can thank Spangler by buying more of their Dum-Dums lollipops, Circus Peanuts candies and candy canes. They also own those tart little Smarties.)
Since then Spangler has been busy upgrading the manufacturing facilities (DREAM BIG) but was not able to ramp up in time for this Valentine’s Day.
They knew it would be tough breaking the news to customers. “Many people have memories of sorting through their box of Sweethearts to find just the right message to share,” a COOL DUDE — that would be Spangler CEO Kirk Vashaw — said in a press release.
For those desperate for sentimental sayings this year — SAY YES — other candy manufacturers have upped their game. A check of Bay Area stores shows that Brach’s is making hearts in traditional flavors as well as tropical, very berry and sweet and sour assortments. SweeTARTS is out with message hearts. And Hershey’s is selling packages of chocolate kisses with sayings printed on the bottom of the foil wrapping. (Naturally, the smooching theme is big for them. WANNA KISS?)
But for many, the ONE & ONLY choice is the Sweethearts brand. So the CEO’s prediction was some SWEET TALK.
“We look forward to announcing the Sweethearts relaunch for the 2020 Valentine season,” Vashaw said.
