Smarties (tablet candy)

This article is about the confectionery distributed in the United States. For the internationally distributed chocolate confectionery, see Smarties. For other uses, see Smarties (disambiguation).
Smarties
Product type Confectionery
Owner Smarties Candy Company
Country United States
Introduced 1949
Markets Worldwide
Website www.smarties.com

In the United States, Smarties are a type of tablet candy produced by Smarties Candy Company, formerly known as Ce De Candy Inc., since 1949.[1][2][3][4][5] Smarties are produced in factories in both Union Township, New Jersey, and Newmarket, Ontario.[2] The candies distributed in Canada are marketed as Rockets, to avoid confusion with internationally distributed Nestlé Smarties.[2][6] The New Jersey factory produces approximately 1 billion rolls of Smarties annually,[7] with the company producing over 2.5 billion of them total in a year.[8][9][6]

One individual candy is a biconcave disc in shape, with a diameter of roughly 1 cm and a height of roughly 4 mm. Larger ones have a diameter of 2.5 cm and are about 6 mm thick. Smarties come in combinations of colors within their wrapped rolls; these include white and pastel shades of yellow, pink, orange, purple, and green.[10] Each color's flavor is different. They are usually packaged as a roll of 15 candies.[8][2] Smarties candies are peanut-free, gluten-free, fat-free and dairy-free.[8][1] All Smarties candies are free of animal products and are thus suitable for vegans.[11]

History

After World War II, the Dee family bought pellet machines and repurposed them to make candy.[6][1] This gave the candy its resemblance to tablet-style pills in shape and texture.[6] When sugar prices spiked in the 1970s, Ce De Candy switched from sucrose to dextrose.[6] In the 1990s, the Dee family purchased the website smarties.com.[8]

In 2004, Ce De Candy Co., Inc., in conjunction with Rock The Vote, manufactured 500,000 special edition Smarties with "Rock the Vote" on the wrapper.[12] A 3.5-ounce Theater box was released in 2009, with a retro look on the boxes.[13] In 2011, Ce De Candy Company, Inc. changed its name to Smarties Candy Company.[2] In August 2011, amid customer inquiries about the candy being vegan, co-owner of the company, Liz Dee, who was vegan, confirmed that Smarties were vegan.[14]

Ingredients

Smarties Rolls

Ingredients in Smarties candies are dextrose, citric acid, calcium stearate, artificial flavors, and colors.[15] There are 25 calories and six grams of sugar in a roll of Smarties.[10][8]

Flavors

Each package contains an assortment of pastel colors, including white, yellow, pink, green, purple, and orange.[10] The flavor of each color is as follows; white is orange cream, yellow is pineapple, pink is cherry, green is strawberry, purple is grape, and orange is orange.[10][16][17] Smarties Candy Company also produces "X-treme sour" and "tropical" varieties of Smarties[16][18] as well as lollipops in three sizes. In October 2015, the company launched Smarties 'n creme, which are quarter-sized candy tablets with smartie flavor on one side and cream flavor on the other.[8][1]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Marissa Rothkopf Bates (October 29, 2015). "Smarties, a Halloween Favorite, Maintains a Sweet Family Business". New York Times. Retrieved 2015-10-29.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Greg Hatala (2014-02-11). "Made in Jersey: Smarties keep rolling out of Union factory". NJ.com. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  3. ↑ Amy Pataki (27 October 2012). "Candy through the ages". The Toronto Star.
  4. ↑ Ryan White (11 October 2011). "Candy Bowl I, the second round: It's time to pick your favorite Halloween candy, again". The Oregonian.
  5. ↑ Nick Montano (2011-05-20). "Smarties Ship In Special Packaging And Formulation For Bulk Vending". Vending Times. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rockets candy a Halloween treat with a Toronto history". CBC News. 2013-10-30. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  7. ↑ Christie Duffy (2015-10-30). "See how Smarties candy company carries on its sweet legacy — and takes Halloween off after 9-month prep". Pix 11. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Heather Long (2015-10-05). "Remember Smarties? The retro candy is thriving". CNN. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  9. ↑ "Inside the Rockets factory where these quintessential Halloween candies are made". The Globe and Mail. 2015-10-29. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Diane Nassy (2012-08-08). "Taking a Tour of the Smarties Candy Factory". philzendia. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  11. ↑ Maria Mooney (2014-03-11). "Smarties Executive, Liz Dee, Talks Compassionate Candy". Ecorazzi. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  12. ↑ "Midway Displays Introduces". Candy Industry. 2004-10-01. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  13. ↑ "Smarties Now In Theater Boxes". National Confectioners Association. 2009-12-14. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  14. ↑ Ari Solomon (2014-03-10). "Compassionate Candy". Mercy for Animals. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  15. ↑ "Smarties Candy Rolls 5 lb bag Assorted flavors". Spangler Flavor. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  16. 1 2 Beth Kimmerle (2003). Candy: The Sweet History. Collectors Press. p. 89. ISBN 1888054832.
  17. ↑ Kristen Ryan (Fall 2014). "Get Smarties!". Matters Magazine. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  18. ↑ Turcsik, Richard (1 February 2005). "Targeting the sweet tooth: creative use of the category's impulse nature can help speed up supermarkets' slowing candy sales. So can getting new products in front of consumers quickly.". 71 (2). pp. 1094–1088.

Further reading

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