The Eclectic History of the Conversation Heart

Some candies bring to mind a particular emotion or memory. It’s one of the most amazing things about candy: its ability to create and reawaken good feelings inside of us. One such iconic candy is the classic conversation heart. These little guys have been around longer than you probably realize, and they always elicit memories of Valentine’s Day and old sweethearts. Here we’ve detailed the eclectic history of the conversation heart so that you can see where they got their start.

Origins

The history of the conversation heart begins with a pharmacist rather than a candymaker. Oliver Chase created a machine in 1847 that allowed for much easier lozenge cutting. Lozenges were very popular at the time as a remedy for sore throats and such, so the demand was high enough to call for innovations. Chase’s invention made was one of the first candy-making machines, and soon he started NECCO, or the New England Confectionary Company, and began making candy exclusively.

A Brother’s Assistance

Oliver Chase and his brother Daniel began to handwrite little phrases onto each lozenge as a way to differentiate themselves from the competition. This process took quite a long time to complete by hand until, in 1866, Daniel Chase invented a unique way of printing the words onto the lozenges using machinery. This machine used vegetable coloring and a rolling pad to deposit the color onto the lozenges’ surface. With this new invention, the lozenges began rolling out in much greater quantities.

A Little Heart

The origin of how the lozenges came to be heart-shaped is a bit of a mystery. One common idea is that they made their candy into a heart and printed them with loving sayings because people often sent these sweets to Union soldiers during the Civil War. Others say that as Valentine’s Day became more popular with the mass production of Valentine’s Day cards, NECCO jumped on the boat and marketed them as a product perfect for your Valentine.

Fall and Rise

NECCO continued updating the sayings on their hearts for many, many years after their introduction. Older phrases like “FAX ME” and “GROOVY” were eventually retired and rebranded for new generations. Unfortunately, NECCO declared bankruptcy in 2018, which meant no conversation hearts for 2019’s Valentine’s Day. The Spangler Candy Company bought the rights to make the candy hearts and, after a year to prepare, returned them to market in 2020.

If you’re in the market for these sweet little guys, Sweet Services is the wholesale candy distributor that you need to check out. We have a massive selection of the most popular candies in any quantity you may need!