The name was basically a sales pitch: eat one now, save the rest for later. Now and Later has been running on that promise since a small Brooklyn candy company put it on shelves in the early 1960s.
Born in Brooklyn, 1962
Now and Later was created in 1962 by the Phoenix Candy Company, a small confectioner based in Brooklyn, New York. The fruit-flavoured, taffy-like squares were designed to be long-lasting rather than quick to finish, which is where the brand's name - and its enduring "eat some now, save some for later" pitch - came from.
From a niche product to the company's main business
The chewy squares became so popular that by the mid-1970s, Now and Later reportedly made up around 90% of Phoenix Candy Company's total sales, turning what started as one product line into the company's entire identity.
Passed between some of America's biggest confectionery names
Ownership of Now and Later has changed hands several times since. The brand moved through Hershey and Kraft before being sold in 2002 to Catterton Partners, which combined it with other divested brands to form Farley's and Sathers Candy Company. Farley's and Sathers then merged with Ferrara Pan Candy Company in 2012 to create today's Ferrara Candy Company, which still makes Now and Later and was itself acquired by the Ferrero Group in December 2017.
Frequently asked questions
When was Now and Later created?
Now and Later was created in 1962 by the Phoenix Candy Company in Brooklyn, New York.
Why is it called Now and Later?
The name reflects the idea that the long-lasting, chewy squares could be eaten some now and saved for later, rather than finished in one go.
Who makes Now and Later today?
Now and Later is made by Ferrara Candy Company, formed in 2012 from the merger of Farley's and Sathers Candy Company and Ferrara Pan Candy Company; Ferrara itself has been owned by the Ferrero Group since December 2017.