Necco Wafers survived the Civil War, two world wars, and 171 years of changing tastes - and then, in 2018, ran out of road in a single summer.
A lozenge machine that started it all, 1847
The story starts with Oliver Chase, an English immigrant who in 1847 invented a candy-cutting machine that let him mass-produce simple sugar wafers - one of the earliest mechanised sweet-making processes in the United States. During the American Civil War, similar wafers, known as "hub wafers", were reportedly carried as rations by Union soldiers.
Three companies become one, 1901
In 1901, Chase and Company merged with two rival confectioners to form the New England Confectionery Company - NECCO for short. By 1912, the wafers were being sold under the Necco Wafers name they'd carry for more than a century, and the company went on to launch other lasting products, including Sweethearts conversation hearts and Clark Bars.
Bankruptcy and a factory closing for good
Necco changed hands several times over the following decades. In 2018, its then-owner, Round Hill Investments, filed for bankruptcy, and the company's Revere, Massachusetts factory abruptly shut down that July - ending 171 years of continuous production.
Bought, revived, and made somewhere else
Later that year, Ohio-based Spangler Candy Company - long-time maker of Dum-Dums and Circus Peanuts - bought the Necco Wafers, Sweethearts and Canada Mints brands along with production equipment. After a two-year gap, Necco Wafers returned to shelves in May 2020, now manufactured at a Spangler-run factory rather than in New England.
Frequently asked questions
Who invented Necco Wafers?
Necco Wafers trace back to 1847, when English immigrant Oliver Chase invented a lozenge-cutting machine to mass-produce sugar wafers. The wafers took the Necco name after Chase's company merged with two rivals in 1901 to form the New England Confectionery Company.
Why did Necco Wafers disappear in 2018?
Necco's then-owner, Round Hill Investments, filed for bankruptcy in 2018, forcing the closure of the company's Revere, Massachusetts factory that July and halting production after 171 years.
Are Necco Wafers still made today?
Yes. Ohio-based Spangler Candy Company bought the Necco Wafers brand and equipment in late 2018 and relaunched production in May 2020, now making the wafers outside New England.