Valentine’s Day will be a little less sweet this year. Sweethearts, better known as conversation hearts, will not be hitting store shelves for the most romantic day of the year.
The candy has been sold religiously around Valentine’s Day every year since its debut in 1866, meaning that it has hit store shelves annually for 153 years, and quickly rose as one of the most popular candies for lovebirds. According to candystore.com, the conversation hearts candy took the crown as the most popular candy for the 2018 holiday season.
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Lovebirds are already in a panic after learning of the lack of easily accessible ways to express their love.
“Valentine’s Day is officially cancelled,” one person wrote on Twitter.
“That’s like one of the staple Valentine day things. Shame,” another wrote.
“OH NO, my heart is breaking ! Even tho I’m single, I like these candies on Valentine’s day,” one person commented.
News of the candy’s absence this Valentine’s Day comes just months after the New England Confectionery Company (Necco) closed. The candymaker, which is behind beloved classics such as NECCO Wafers and Clark Bar, abruptly closed its doors in July.
“Round Hill Investments was very excited to acquire Necco’s historic brands and to be part of their national resurgence,” the company announced in a statement at the time. “After careful engagement and consideration, however, the firm decided to sell the brands to another national confection manufacturer and today announced the closure of the operations in Revere, Massachusetts.”
Having been in operation since 1847, Necco was the oldest candy company in the United States. Round Hill, which is owned by C. Dean Metropolous, bought the company at bankruptcy for $17.3 million in May of 2018.
Hope is not lost for Sweethearts, however, as the Necco wafer brand and Sweethearts were reportedly sold to Spangler Candy Company, according to Better Homes & Gardens. Given that it took Necco 11 months to produce 8 billion candy hearts, there wasn’t enough time for Spangler Candy Company to produce as many Sweethearts as needed for the 2019 season.
“There are a lot of manufacturing challenges and unanswered questions at this point, and we want to make sure these brands meet consumer expectations when they re-enter the market,” Spangler Chairman and CEO Kirk Vashaw said when announcing the acquisition, according to CNBC.
The company is planning to relaunch Sweethearts in time for next year’s Valentine’s season. Necco wafers will be re-introduced sometime this year.
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