< Candy hearts with printed messages have been a Valentine’s Day tradition since childhood. Eight billion of these candies are sold every year in the six weeks prior to Feb. 14.
The New England Confectionery Company has been making candy hearts since the Civil War. Their Web site says that when first made, the hearts were larger and were packaged with paper messages.
The candy company now makes 100,000 pounds of the candy every day throughout the year to meet the demand of consumers during the Valentine’s Day season. The hearts last for about five years, so they are able to keep their production steady.
“They (NECCO) have done a good job of developing themselves as an icon,” said Jason Lueg, assistant professor of marketing. “They have made themselves into a holiday tradition.”
More than 100 Sweetheart sayings have been created since factory production began in 1902. Some of those are still around today. “Kiss Me,” “Be Mine” and “Sweet Talk” are all original phrases printed on the candy. “3 Wishes,” “New You” and “IM Me” are some of the new messages for 2004.
The process of making candy hearts is much like making any other type of candy.
“Most candies are very similar. They are mostly flavored sugar syrup,” said Douglas Marshall, professor of food science and technology.
Candy manufacturers create molds in the desired shapes of the final product. Flavored sugar syrup is added to the molds, and it hardens to create the candy, Marshall said.
Sweethearts come in flavors of cherry, banana, orange, lemon, grape, wintergreen and chocolate in the assorted packs sold around the country.
The messages are added by a machine, which works somewhat like a printing press. It picks up the edible dye and presses it onto the candy.
Anyone who wants a personalized message can get one by paying for an entire production run which is approximately 1.7 million hearts or 3,500 lbs. The approximate price range for a personalized order, depending on packaging, would be $7,600-$10,000, said NECCO spokesperson Lory J. Zimbalatti.
Lueg said he feels that the messages are very important to the candy heart’s success.
“The sweet nothing messages are really successful,” Lueg said. “Since I was in kindergarten, I can remember people exchanging them.”