Smarties (tablet candy)

History

Main article: Smarties Candy Company

After World War II, the Dee family bought pellet machines and repurposed them to make candy. This gave the candy its resemblance to tablet-style pills in shape and texture. When sugar prices spiked in the 1970s, Ce De Candy switched from sucrose to dextrose.

Edward Dee founded Ce De Candy in Bloomfield, New Jersey, in 1949. In 2011, the company was renamed Smarties Candy Company, after its most famous product.

In 2004, Ce De Candy Co., Inc., in conjunction with Rock The Vote, manufactured 500,000 special edition Smarties with "Rock the Vote" on the wrapper. A 3.5-ounce Theater box was released in 2009, with a retro look on the boxes. In August 2011, the company confirmed that Smarties are vegan.

Starting on October 2, 2022, Smarties launched National Smarties Day, hosting a year supply giveaway of candy and launching a TikTok challenge to celebrate Edward Dee’s birthday.

Snorting controversy

In January 2011, a middle school in Provo, Utah, reported that its students had started to crush the Smarties into a fine powder and inhale them, mimicking a form of drug consumption, following a YouTube trend. Health effects of this trend could be scarring of the nasal cavity, irritation, and a possible risk of allergic reaction. A similar trend also observed at the same time at the Portsmouth school was "smoking" the Smarties, taking in the dust orally and blowing it out, resembling cigarette smoke.

Production

The Smarties Candy Company operates two factories, one in Union, New Jersey, and one in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. The factories produce Smarties 24 hours a day, five days a week, amounting to over 70,000 pounds (around 32,000 kilograms) per day. After mixing the dry ingredients they are pressed into tablets and then stacked and rolled into a Smarties wrapper for packaging. Smarties Candy Company produces over 2 billion Smarties rolls every year.

Ingredients

The ingredients in Smarties candies are dextrose, citric acid, calcium stearate, natural and artificial flavors, and colors. There are 25 calories and 6.9 grams of sugar in a roll of Smarties.

Flavors

Each package contains an assortment of pastel colors{{cite book|title= Candy: The Sweet History

• White: Orange cream
• Yellow: Pineapple
• Pink: Cherry
• Green: Strawberry
• Purple: Grape
• Orange: Orange

Smarties Candy Company also produces "X-treme Sour" and "Tropical" varieties of Smarties as well as "Lollies and Giant Lollies". In October 2015, the company launched Smarties 'n Creme, which are quarter-sized candy tablets with Smarties flavor on one side and creme flavor on the other.

References

References

1. Marissa Rothkopf Bates. (October 29, 2015). "Smarties, a Halloween Favorite, Maintains a Sweet Family Business". [[New York Times]].
2. Greg Hatala. (2014-02-11). "Made in Jersey: Smarties keep rolling out of Union factory". [[NJ.com]].
3. (2011-05-20). "Smarties Ship In Special Packaging And Formulation For Bulk Vending". [[Vending Times]].
4. (January 2025). "New Jersey Originals: Technological Marvels, Odd Inventions, Trailblazing Characters and More". [[The History Press]]; [[Arcadia Publishing]].
5. "Smarties — 0177217". [[Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada]].
6. Christie Duffy. (2015-10-30). "See how Smarties candy company carries on its sweet legacy — and takes Halloween off after 9-month prep". [[Pix 11]].
7. (2015-10-29). "Inside the Rockets factory where these quintessential Halloween candies are made". [[The Globe and Mail]].
8. Diane Nassy. (2012-08-08). "Taking a Tour of the Smarties Candy Factory". philzendia.
9. (2010-07-07). "Which candies are vegan?". [[PETA]].
10. (2014-03-11). "Smarties Executive, Liz Dee, Talks Compassionate Candy". Ecorazzi.
11. "Smarties History".
12. "Rockets candy a Halloween treat with a Toronto history". [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
13. (2004-10-01). "Midway Displays Introduces". Candy Industry.
14. (2009-12-14). "Smarties Now In Theater Boxes". [[National Confectioners Association]].
15. Ari Solomon. (2014-03-10). "Compassionate Candy". [[Mercy for Animals]].
16. (2 October 2023). "Smarties, made in NJ".
17. Jaslow, Ryan. (21 January 2014). "Middle school warns snorting Smarties may lead to nasal maggots". [[CBS News]].
18. Scholastic. (6 October 2016). "Inside a Smarties Factory".
19. (31 October 2019). "5 things to know about Smarties, the women-led and family-run candy company celebrating 70 years in business". [[CNBC]].
20. "Smarties Candy Rolls 5 lb bag Assorted flavors". Spangler Flavor.
21. Kristen Ryan. (Fall 2014). "Get Smarties!". Matters Magazine.
22. (4 November 2023). "Smarties Flavors".
23. Turcsik, Richard. (1 February 2005). "Targeting the sweet tooth: creative use of the category's impulse nature can help speed up supermarkets' slowing candy sales. So can getting new products in front of consumers quickly.".