Smarties candies are one of the most iconic candies available. They have been part of our lives for years and have been used on several occasions. But did you know how these candies came to be?
The Smarties candy was initially made by machines that were intended to make gunpowder pellets. These machines were very popular during World War II, and they had to repurpose the machines after the war.
What is the History of The Smarties Brand?
The story of Smarties dates back to over seven decades ago. Edward Dee moved to New Jersey from England a few years after World War II. With him, he brought an idea for a revolutionary candy.
Edward Dee comes from a long line of candy makers in England. In 1949, he arrived in the US and founded his own candy company called Ce De Candy Inc., which soon started making the Smarties candies we all know and love.
The first factory was housed in a rented space in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He moved operations to Elizabeth, New Jersey, by 1959. They finally settled in Union, New Jersey, by 1967, where it still stands today. The company has been making Smarties the entire time and renamed the Smarties Candy Company in 2011. (Source: Mashed)
Do They Sell the Same Candy in Canada?
If you live in the United States, it is very easy to spot the iconic packaging; clear plastic with a red label and the Smarties name. You can easily spot this from a distance. But in Canada, the product you are buying isn’t quite the same. The packaging looks the same, and the shape of the candy still comes in the same colors. What’s different is the name. Instead of Smarties, in Canada, they’re called Rockets.
Production of Smarties started in 1963 when the Ce De Candy Company opened its branch in Canada. They were making the exact same candy in the US but calling them Smarties confused. This is because Nestle had been producing candy-coated chocolate since 1937 and have been calling them Smarties too. Obviously, they couldn’t have the same name.
Ce De Candy Company renamed its Canadian operations to Rockets Candy Company by 2012. This way, it was easier to associate the product with the company. A year after, the US branch renamed their business too. (Source: Mashed)
How Much Smarties Are Made and Sold?
There is a ridiculous amount of Smarties being produced and sold yearly. As of 2019, the company was said to produce about two billion Smarties rolls every single year. That’s about 30 billion Smarties tablets! With only two factories functioning, they operated 24-hours a day and five days a week.
The machines used today are very different from the ones originally used. The original prototype for the candy was not invented in the US. It was developed in England and infused with spices like clove and cinnamon. They were then shaped using old gunpowder pellet machines.
The current co-president, Lizz Dee, explained that the machines in the factories produced about a thousand tablets per minute. (Source: Mashed)
When Does Smarties Sell the Most Candy?
Just like every candy brand, Halloween is the most important holiday on the calendar. In the US alone, Americans purchase about 600 million pounds of candy just for Halloween. They practically spend almost three billion dollars on the said holiday.
Oh, it’s by far the most important holiday for us.
Liz Dee, co-president Smarties