Most American candy bars lean on a thick chocolate coating. Zagnut deliberately doesn't, which is exactly why it's stayed a cult favourite rather than a mainstream one.
A 1930 bar built on two flavours, not chocolate
Zagnut was introduced in 1930 by the D. L. Clark Company, and Hershey has owned it since 1996. The bar is built around a crunchy peanut butter centre, coated in toasted coconut flakes rather than chocolate — Hershey's own description calls it a crunchy peanut butter center... surrounded in sweet toasted coconut flakes. There's a small amount of cocoa in the bar itself, but no chocolate coating at all, which makes it an outlier among American candy bars rather than a variation on the usual formula.
Where the name comes from
Nobody seems entirely sure. One account ties it to the Zig-Zag name as a nod from Clark's wider candy line; Hershey's own materials describe the origin as uncertain. Either way, the name has stuck for close to a century, along with a cameo in the film Beetlejuice that's kept it in pop-culture conversation well past its 1930s launch.
Do we stock it?
No, we don't currently stock Zagnut. There's no single product in our range that matches its exact combination, but we do stock both flavour pillars separately: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for the peanut butter side, and Bounty for the coconut side — not a direct substitute, but the closest we can offer from what's in stock.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Zagnut bar?
A peanut butter centre covered in toasted coconut flakes, with no chocolate coating.
Does it contain chocolate?
A small amount of cocoa, but no chocolate coating — unusual for an American candy bar.
Who makes it?
Hershey, since 1996. It was introduced in 1930 by the D. L. Clark Company.
Does Supreme Sweets stock Zagnut?
No. We stock Reese's and Bounty, covering the peanut butter and coconut flavours separately.