Conversation Hearts in short supply this Valentine’s Day
Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop in Mt. Lebanon still has some of the classic Necco Conversation Hearts left for sale.
Holly Tonini/ Observer-Reporter
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Necco Conversation Hearts
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Necco Conversation Hearts
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Necco Conversation Hearts
Mt. LEBANON – Many a sweet tooth will go unsatisfied this Valentine’s Day if certain true loves prefer those traditional Conversation Hearts as gifts.
The manufacturer of Sweethearts Conversation Hearts, New England Confectionery Co., went out of business last year, leaving the sugary candy in limited supply now, said Christopher J. Beers, owner of Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shops in Southwestern Pennsylvania and some Ohio markets.
“I bought up some of the very last inventory,” said Beers, whose Mt. Lebanon location was down to some bags of the hearts, small boxes of the sour version and one-pound tubs of the large variety last weekend.
Necco also manufactured the Clark Bar, a candy bar with a crispy peanut butter spun-taffy core covered in milk chocolate that is especially popular in Pittsburgh.
“The first thing I grabbed was 1,400 cases of Clark Bars,” Beers said.
He next bought a pile of chocolate Necco Wafer rolls, a pasty sugar candy that tastes similar to the Conversation Hearts.
Then it occurred to Beers that the original Sweethearts were going to be hard to find until they return to production later this year through the company’s new owner.
“I take candy very seriously,” he said.
The pastel hearts stamped with such phrases as “Be Mine” and “True Love” had been in production for more than a century before Necco filed for bankruptcy last year.
The rights to produce the hearts was purchased by the Spangler Candy Co. in Ohio, which will return them to production after it receives permission from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Beers said.
“It’ll be at least a year before that happens,” he said.
The good news for Clark Bar lovers, he said, is that the Boyer Candy Co. of Altoona plans to have that candy bar back in production in the spring or early summer, he said. Boyer also makes Mallo Cups.
People tend to buy certain types of candy during different seasons, such as popcorn balls around Halloween and the Conversation Hearts for Feb. 14, Beers said.
“Do they eat them? I don’t know,” he said.
People also tend to be passionate about candy, whether it be love or hate for certain brands on the market.
“My heart will go on without these candy hearts,” said Carla E. Anderton, an editor and adjunct professor from California Borough. “Truth be told, they’re disgusting.”