Bad news for all the shy lovers out there. Valentine’s Day 2019 is the year you might actually have to talk to your crush instead of telling them, “Be Mine” with some substandard confection. Why? Necco, the makers of those ever-chalky conversation heart candies, has gone out of business, and candy hearts have been discontinued.
For now, at least. As far back as March 2018, there were murmurs that the New England Confectionary Company, aka Necco, was in deep financial trouble and was struggling to find a way to keep their factory doors open. Per CNBC, they shuttered in July and were subsequently bought at auction by Round Hill Investments, which in turn sold the Necco Wafer brand and Sweethearts candy to Spangler, a candy company best known for Dum Dum lollipops.
The silver lining to all of this? Spangler is planning to bring back candy hearts as early as next year. They just missed the boat this time around due to the fact that they only acquired the company in September.
Confoundingly (or maybe not-so-confoundingly), sweethearts are consistently some of the most popular Valentine’s Day candy in the U.S., and in 2017, they even overtook heart-shaped boxes of chocolate to become the most purchased sweet for that special day.
What is it about Valentine’s Day and terrible things? Cellophane-wrapped, undersized roses plucked before maturity, waxy chocolates, and chalky hearts. It’s like people don’t like their Valentines or something. Give me a bag of Sour Patch Watermelons, take me out for a nice bowl of pho, and we’re good.
Then again, candy hearts are good for something: letting your one true love know: Maybe tonight. So maybe take this as a sign that you should sit this year out, champ. There’s always 2020 to tell your special someone, Kiss me.
