Since the mid-1800s, confectioners have been shelling out millions of candy bars a year to satisfy the sweet tooths of fans all around the world.
The majority of classic confections have gone through a few candy wrapper design changes over the years – here’s how some of your favorite candy bars have evolved over the years.
Hershey’s chocolate bars had embossed labels.
Before beginning the manufacture of chocolate in 1900, Milton Hershey, creator of the Hershey’s bar, was a successful caramel candy seller. Hershey began selling these bars for about a nickel each.
The original wrapper was printed on glossy white paper and embossed with gold text. It featured the image of a cow and what appears to be a cherub, in a cacao bean, holding a chocolate bar.
Now, Hershey’s chocolate bars have simpler packaging.
Now, Hershey’s sells over eight variations including Cookies ‘n’ Cream and Extra Creamy Chocolate and Caramel.
Snickers used to have white, orange and blue packaging.
Launched by Mars in 1930, the Snickers bar was named after the Mars family's favorite horse.
And, in 1984, Snickers bars was announced as one of the "Official Snack Foods of the Olympic Games."
The Snickers wrapper has undergone quite a makeover.
According to USA Today, Mars generates over $2 billion in annual sales from Snickers alone.
And, this peanut, caramel and nougat creation now comes in more varieties ranging from Snickers crispers to Snickers with almonds.
Reese's came in an orange wrapper.
H.B. Reese worked for Hershey before leaving to launch his own line of chocolates.
Reese ended up creating a variety of chocolates while also running a canning business. But, when sugar was rationed during World War II, he decided to eliminate all of his chocolates and only manufacture Reese's peanut butter cups. They required less sugar than his other confections and the peanuts were easily accessible from nearby southern states.
Reese's have continued to grow in popularity.
Over the years, Reese's Cups have gained so much popularity in baking that Reese's keeps a list of recipes on their website.
Kit Kats were created in 1935 under a different name.
Named after 17th-century pastry chef Christopher Catling, whose shop once hosted a literary club called the Kit Kat Club, classic Kit Kat bars were created in 1935 and originally called Rowntree's Chocolate Crisp.
Kit Kats come in dozens of flavors.
Today, Kit Kats are particularly popular in Japan, where over 300 different flavor variations of the candy exist including green tea, sake, and soy sauce.
Butterfinger was named by a public contest.
The Curtiss Candy Company held a public contest to name the Butterfinger candy bar, which originally hit shelves in 1923, according to Old Time Candy.
Butterfinger's wrapper is still yellow.
Butterfinger is still known for its elaborate publicity stunts, including dropping candy bars from airplanes, mowing a QR code into a cornfield, and pretending to change its name to "The Finger" on April Fools' Day, according to Mental Floss.
3 Musketeers used to have more diverse flavors.
Invented in 1932, Three Musketeers were originally sold with three bars inside - one chocolate-flavored piece, one vanilla, and one strawberry - until World War II, when the vanilla and strawberry nougat became too expensive to produce, according to Old Time Candy.
3 Musketeers now have silver packaging.
Today, the candy bar still contains only chocolate nougat, but special editions like mint, French vanilla, and mocha cappuccino have been released for limited times.
Milky Way was inspired by malted milkshakes.
The Milky Way bar, created in 1923, was the first chocolate bar with filling and was inspired by chocolate-malt milkshakes.
Milky Way now comes in a brown and green package.
Milky Way bars now come in a number of different varieties including Midnight and Caramel Apple.
Nestle's Crunch hit shelves in 1938.
This bar was invented in 1938 and was originally sold as "Nestlé's Crunch" milk chocolate bar with crisped rice. They were named for the sound they make when bitten into, according to Old Time Candy.
Nestle Crunch's packaging still has similar colors.
Since its beginnings, Nestlé has produced 13 variations of the Crunch bar, including Buncha Crunch candy pieces and dark chocolate bars.
Baby Ruth bars hit shelves in 1938.
Baby Ruth bars, which arrived in stores in 1938, are rumored to be named after both the late daughter of President Grover Cleveland and famous baseball player Babe Ruth, according to Snopes. But the first theory is the official one.
Baby Ruth bars are a pop culture staple.
Since their conception, the Baby Ruths bars have become a staple in American pop culture, featured in iconic movies like "Caddyshack," "The Goonies," and "The Sandlot."
Cadbury Creme Eggs used to be more limited.
Cadbury's Creme Eggs, created in England in 1923, were once only available annually from January 1 until Easter Day.
Cadbury Creme Eggs have more availability.
Cadbury still sells over 200 million Creme Eggs each spring.
Almond Joy bars were created in 1946.
The original creator of The Almond Joy bar was the candy company, Peter Paul Candy Manufacturing Company of Connecticut. The Almond Joy was created in 1946 as a replacement of their discontinued "Dream Bar."
From its creation, The Almond Joy was closely linked to Mounds bars. The candy bars' original theme song included the lyrics, "Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't; Peter Paul Almond Joy's got nuts; Mounds don't."
The Almond Joy wrapper has gotten quite a makeover.
Almond Joys and Mounds are still around today but the wrappers have changed quite a bit, getting a re-brand in 2015. They also joined the Hersey company in 1988.
M&Ms had a signature font on their packaging.
The first plain M&Ms were released to members of the US Military in 1941 before being available to the public in 1945.
In 1950, M&Ms began printing their signature "M"s on each coated candy to enforce brand recognition.
M&Ms come in so many varieties.
Over the years, the colors of M&M's have changed a number of times - only brown, yellow, and green chocolates have remained consistent in the lineup.
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