Stacy Conradt
The Original Flavors of 9 Popular Candies
by Stacy Conradt - May 12, 2010 - 5:51 PM

Candy is quite the industry these days. Everything comes in a million different flavors, limited editions, special colors, promotional movie tie-ins… it can be a bit overwhelming. But back when it was a fledgling industry, you would have been hard-pressed to find wacky watermelon sour fizzy coated taffy. In fact, some of our favorite candies were quite different than how we know them today.

1. Ever wonder how the 3 Musketeers bar got its name? No, the creator wasn’t a big Dumas fan – it’s because the bar was originally split into three pieces with three different flavors – vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. When vanilla and strawberry flavoring became hard to come by during WWII, Mars decided to go all chocolate. Studies had shown it was the preferred flavor of the three anyway. [Join our Facebook campaign to bring back the original 3 Musketeers!]

2. You can obviously get M&Ms in just about any color of the rainbow today, but when they were first introduced in 1941, fans had to make do with just red, brown, yellow, green and violet. And I guess “fans” isn’t really a fair word – the first M&Ms were actually given to soldiers in their rations because the chocolate was a good energy source, and the candy-coated shell kept the chocolate from melting all over. They came in a cardboard tube.

3. The Milky Way has a tale similar to 3 Musketeers’ multiple flavors. Back when it was the first commercially distributed filled candy bar in 1923, the Milky Way came in chocolate and vanilla flavors. The vanilla version came covered in dark chocolate. They were sold separately for several years, then sold as a two-piece candy bar just like 3 Musketeers was sold as a three-piece candy bar. By 1936, the chocolate and vanilla pieces would bid each other adieu forever. In a marketing move that I don’t quite understand, the Mars company continued to sell the vanilla and dark chocolate version under a new name – the Forever Yours bar. It was rebranded again as the Milky Way Dark, and these days you’ll find it on shelves under the name “Milky Way Midnight.” The name, by the way, doesn’t come from the galaxy as many people suspect. It comes from the fact that the bar was inspired by the flavor of a milkshake.

4. Originally known as “Opal Fruits,” Starbursts came in just four flavors when they were first introduced: orange, lemon, lime and strawberry. When branding switched to Starburst in 1967, lemon and lime were squished into one flavor so “blackcurrant” chews could be added to the mix.

5. Jelly Bellies are known for their ridiculous palette of flavors now – there are 50 “official” flavors, nine “rookie” flavors, five Cold Stone Creamery-inspired flavors, and lines that include soda flavors, sour beans, “sport” beans, Harry Potter’s Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, and “smoothie blends.” That’s not even including all of the tastes they have retired over the years. But when Jelly Belly first launched, there were just eight to choose from: Very Cherry, Tangerine, Lemon, Green Apple, Grape Jelly, Licorice, A&W Root Beer, and A&W Cream Soda.

6. Although Life Savers just came in Pep-O-Mint when they were introduced in 1913, a variety of flavors soon followed: Wint-O-Green, Cl-O-ve, Lic-O-Riche, Cinn-O-Mon, Vi-O-let and Choc-O-Late. Malt-O-Milk showed up the following year and was a colossal flop. The familiar fruit flavors of today were developed in 1925: grape, orange, lemon and lime. Anise, Root Beer, Cola and Butter Rum came soon after but weren’t as popular. Really? I’d buy Root Beer Life Savers. Yum. Cl-O-ve… not so much.

7. PEZ actually gets its name from the first flavor it ever came in – Pfefferminz (that would be German for “peppermint.”) They came in little cigarette lighter-like cases to conveniently dispense mints to smokers. It wasn’t until the 1950s that PEZ decided to expand their market to kids, which is where the fruity flavors and fun dispensers came in. Santa, a robot, and a “Space Gun” were the first dispensers aimed at kids.

8. Tootsie Pops came in five basic flavors that I think are still the main ones today: Chocolate, Cherry, Orange, Grape and Raspberry. But according to Tootsie Roll Industries, there’s a sixth flavor that alternates between Lemon Lime, Blue Raspberry, and Banana. You can vote on a new, permanent sixth flavor (the voting mysteriously includes pomegranate, which is not listed as a flavor that is currently one of the alternate sixths) and suggest new flavors on the Tootsie site. I suggested Cream Soda.

9. As you might suspect, mint was the first Mentos flavor. Actually, it was a “peppermint flavored caramel candy” which doesn’t sound too appetizing to me. That was way back in 1932 – consumers didn’t get to experience cinnamon Mentos (in the U.S.) or fruit-flavored Mentos (in Europe) until 40 years later. You can find just about any flavor of Mentos now if you’re looking in the right countries – in your travels across the globe you’re likely to come across raisin, lemon yogurt, cola, grape ‘n’ cream, black licorice and red orange (among many, many others).

Would you have preferred any of these originals to what we have today? I’m not sure I would (although I am intrigued by the original 3 Musketeeers), but I also think candy companies sometimes try a little too hard to come up with the next crazy thing. That being said, I am on the hunt for the new Pretzel M&Ms.

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Comments (71)

  1. I would love to see the “odder” flavors back. We don’t all love sickly sour/sweet watermelon or green apple flavors. I have been able to find rose and violet flavored mints (with an anise seed inside) at Macys here in Chicago. A rare treat. Otherwise I seek out foreign candies with more exotic flavors, Lychee anyone?

    posted by Heather on 5-12-2010 at 6:18 pm

  2. Where I live M&Ms came in cardboard tubes until I was about 12, six years ago.

    posted by bahsheep on 5-12-2010 at 6:24 pm

  3. I hadn’t heard about these new Pretzel M&Ms, but I am now determined to find some. Thanks for the heads up!

    posted by Kelly on 5-12-2010 at 6:33 pm

  4. Dude… I’d KILL for clove Life Savers!

    posted by tunaman on 5-12-2010 at 6:37 pm

  5. I think – but don’t know for sure – that pretzel M&Ms are a Walmart\Sam’s exclusive. I’ve only seen them there.

    posted by tunaman on 5-12-2010 at 6:38 pm

  6. I’ve only found the pretzel M&M’s at Walmart. My fave are the coconut M&M’s at Sam’s Club!

    posted by Laura on 5-12-2010 at 6:38 pm

  7. I *loved* the Butter Rum Life Savers. I would always get excited at Christmas to get that one roll of Butter Rum in the Life Savers Storybook. Yum!

    posted by Karen on 5-12-2010 at 6:49 pm

  8. Butter Rum LifeSavers were fantastic! I cans till find them sometimes, but for some reason they’re in bags individually wrapped.

    posted by PartiallyDeflected on 5-12-2010 at 6:55 pm

  9. Mabye PEZ in Pfefferminz or whatever it was called and cola flavored Life Savers

    posted by J.S. on 5-12-2010 at 7:29 pm

  10. No mention of musk-flavored Life Savers. Found these in Australia; they’re flavored with rose oil. And exactly as disgusting as they sound. They taste like perfume.

    posted by Andrea on 5-12-2010 at 7:34 pm

  11. @Heather I’ve not had the violet candy with the anise inside but it sounds delicious. Try Choward’s violet mints. They’re really good if you like the floral flavors.

    posted by nihil on 5-12-2010 at 7:37 pm

  12. Actually, tootsie pops come in watermelon flavor now too! They have a pink wrapper.

    posted by Ashley on 5-12-2010 at 8:03 pm

  13. You didn’t even mention my fave lifesaver flavor-Wild Cherry.

    posted by little gator on 5-12-2010 at 8:10 pm

  14. What about Necco wafers? I don’t think they’ve changed the flavor since they originated, but sometimes I still can’t tell what the “flavor” is supposed to be. Does anyone else know?

    posted by Chris on 5-12-2010 at 8:32 pm

  15. I’ve found the Pretzel M&M’s at Wal-Mart and Publix (a local grocery store down here in FL that can also be found in certain places in Georgia and South Carolina). They are YUMMY.

    @Ashley WHAT? Where do I get these?!? Those sound absolutely delish!

    posted by Laura W on 5-12-2010 at 8:44 pm

  16. My stepkid Vince just came back from Australia, where they sell a flavor of LifeSavers that isn’t available anywhere else. The flavor? MUSK.

    They taste like Baby Powder.

    posted by Joe Maz on 5-12-2010 at 9:29 pm

  17. Sorry, Andrea, I missed your post! By the way, there’s also another Australia-only LS flavor : THIRST.

    posted by Joe Maz on 5-12-2010 at 9:33 pm

  18. Can we Betty White the neopolitan 3 Musketeers? Because I would NOM the hell out of that….

    posted by Amanda on 5-12-2010 at 9:36 pm

  19. I LOVED clove life savers. I was majorly addicted to them in high school but they disappeared soon after that. Then I went to Italy and found them there–bought a couple of cases to bring back with me.

    posted by Susan on 5-12-2010 at 10:38 pm

  20. Around Easter I bought a bag of fun size 3 Musketeers bars with a raspberry flavor and covered in dark chocolate. I haven’t looked for them since, but I ate the whole bag in two days, they were delicious. The vanilla ones would taste similar to a Charleston Chew I bet.

    posted by nerdygerl on 5-12-2010 at 11:21 pm

  21. re: the pretzel M&M’s: they’ve been available at walmart for a few weeks, but we just got them in at the grocery store I work at today, so, they’re spreading.

    Walmart also has fizzy Skittles, which are awesome, haven’t seen them anywhere else yet.

    I’ll try anything once, and one thing I wish I could do with my life (who knows, maybe I will some day) is open a foreign-candy store. I want to try *all* of them!

    As for what I loved, a few Valentine’s Days ago, there were cherry Kit-Kat’s. Hope every year since that they’ll come back. And that one Easter that there were Chocolate Cadbury Eggs… I heard tell of Orange ones this past Easter, but never found any >.<

    posted by Crystal on 5-12-2010 at 11:53 pm

  22. I recall that before they were called Starburst, the candy was called “M&M Fruit Chewies,” at least here in California. They came in Strawberry, Orange, Lemon and Lime. This was in the Sixties. The name didn’t change until the early Seventies.

    posted by Otis Criblecoblis on 5-13-2010 at 3:31 am

  23. Butter rum and cherry… 25 years old now every holiday they put out the lifesavers story book my ma gets them for us. She forgot one year and will never make that mistake again believe me.

    posted by Ptoomboston on 5-13-2010 at 3:54 am

  24. I would definitely buy clove lifeavers! But I can’t imagine what “violet” flavor was like.

    posted by Miss Cellania on 5-13-2010 at 5:23 am

  25. Clove lifesavers would be fabulous. I had some nice cardamom flavored gum in Tanzania a few years ago. Spice flavored candy is so much better than the fruity stuff.

    posted by Josh on 5-13-2010 at 5:58 am

  26. anybody remember Zotz? they were these hard candies with a fizzy center. The big ones were called Zotz Bombz. Haven’t seen them in years, but I loved ‘em.

    posted by Pete on 5-13-2010 at 8:23 am

  27. We have the pretzel M&Ms just about everywhere now. They are really good!

    posted by KerriD on 5-13-2010 at 8:25 am

  28. I’d like to see an article about favorite candy that has been discontinued. I’d start with Hershey’s S’mores bars (wish I’d have known those were being discontinued – I’d have bought cases of them) and then I’d add Choc-o-lite, a chocolate bar that was whipped with air. I loved them.

    posted by KJ on 5-13-2010 at 8:41 am

  29. Yum! I’d love to try a Vi-O-let Lifesaver! I love floral flavored candy, but they are hard to find.

    posted by Lynnie on 5-13-2010 at 8:53 am

  30. PRETZEL M&Ms? I hadn’t even heard of these… Exciting! I want to try them.

    And the original 3 Musketeers sounds delicious. Wish I could’ve tried that.

    posted by Elissa on 5-13-2010 at 9:34 am

  31. I LOVE the butter rum Life Savers. I got a “Sweet Storybook” last year at Christmas, but it didn’t have Butter Rum. I like Licorice.

    posted by Sara in Al on 5-13-2010 at 9:44 am

  32. @Chris: I found this at Necco.com under the FAQ’s:

    The original eight flavors: orange, lemon, lime, clove, chocolate, cinnamon, licorice and wintergreen. The ingredients are simply sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, gum, colorings and flavoring.

    NECCO Wafers have recently made the transition to ALL NATURAL. The Lime green wafer wasn’t able to make the transition to All Natural. NECCO Wafers are now 7 Flavors.

    posted by Ellie on 5-13-2010 at 10:04 am

  33. I like KJ’s idea about a list of discontinued candies. I’d like to nominate the nestle alpine white with almonds. I still dream about them.

    posted by nikki on 5-13-2010 at 10:09 am

  34. I picked up a party sized bag of pretzel M&M’s at Target for my nephews birthday last week…they get better as you eat more of them. The frist couple were kind of weird to me- I kept thinking there should be a malt ball instead of a pretzel.

    posted by Caitlin on 5-13-2010 at 10:11 am

  35. you can still get Peppermint Pez, though it’s harder to find than the other flavors. The newer cola and chocolate flavors are pretty good as well.

    I love Chowards Violet Mints!

    posted by vegebrarian on 5-13-2010 at 10:21 am

  36. I’d also like to piggyback on KJ’s idea about favorite discontinued candies: Mine is the PBMax.

    What I wouldn’t give for a box (or three) right now… and it’s not just the pregnancy talking.

    Reese’s wil do, but the PBMax was sooooo much better! YUM!

    posted by Renis on 5-13-2010 at 10:37 am

  37. Thanks for the candy article while I’m stuck at work WITHOUT anything sweet (I just dug through my purse in hopes of anything with chocolate in/on it). LOL.

    I think the neopolitian 3 musketeers would be really fun to try.

    Do they still make chewy runts? I grew up with them in Oklahoma, but can’t find them in SC. I’m not sure if it’s regional or discontinued…

    @Amanda – I freaking love the “Betty White” phraes. I’m borrowing that, please and thank you! :)

    posted by OkieMelissa on 5-13-2010 at 11:08 am

  38. I loved, loved, LOVED the peppermint/candy cane red and white LifeSavers that you used to buy around Christmas. I stopped seeing them and emailed the company asking about them. They said they’d discontinued them due to poor sales. Really sad – they came in the roll and were also individually wrapped.

    Has anyone tried the latest Altoid flavors? Licorice, Ginger, and Honey. Quite interesting…

    posted by Programmher T on 5-13-2010 at 11:08 am

  39. Clove life savers sound good to me!

    posted by Emma on 5-13-2010 at 11:15 am

  40. @ Pete: do you mean :Lotsa-Fizz? It comes in plastic strips of individually wrapped red, orange and purple candy and is delish…. I remember 25cents would buy a much longer strip of candies when I was small than it does today…

    posted by ab on 5-13-2010 at 12:02 pm

  41. The new pretzel M&MS are amazing! I sell them at my hotel and they sell out faster then I can have them stocked! I have to order a box for myself to give out to the staff! LOVE PRETZEL M&MS!!!!!

    posted by michael simmons on 5-13-2010 at 12:14 pm

  42. Does anyone remember gum that came in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry “ice cream” flavors? I remember loving it as a kid. Along with buttered rum lifesavers. They were the best!

    posted by loripop on 5-13-2010 at 12:15 pm

  43. @Renis – Good Call! I had completely forgotten about PB Max! That was great. I remember eating them on Easter for some reason…

    I think the flower flavored candy with the anise seed is a French thing. I remember a French teacher bringing them to class for everyone to try and the flavors she had were rose and violet. Interesting, but not something I would care to partake in regularly.

    Anyone else eat 5th Avenue? I think I am the only one as I haven’t bought one in years that wasn’t covered in dust but it seems like they keep making them, if only to satisfy my roadtrip needs.

    And lastly, I thought the Necco flavor was sweet chalk…

    posted by c on 5-13-2010 at 12:24 pm

  44. My DH found pretzel mms at Hannaford grocery in Maine. They are lousy. Buy chocolate covered pretzels instead.

    posted by AnnMarie on 5-13-2010 at 1:15 pm

  45. Glad to see I’m not the only one who remembers the Butter Rum Life Savers. Dang it, now I’m craving them!

    posted by Steve from San Diego on 5-13-2010 at 1:39 pm

  46. @pete and @ab:

    both of those candies were the GREATEST! you can still buy zots in specialty candy shops. Specifically Dylan’s Candy Bar in NYC (there are LOTS of nostalgic candies there).

    If we are “Betty Whit”ing anything, could it PLEASE be Pine Bros. cough drops in cherry?? Those thing were the BEST!!! i remember sharing a box with my dad during every Sunday church service–the best part of church, actually!!

    posted by kelli on 5-13-2010 at 1:46 pm

  47. All you guys: check out a book called Candy Freak. It’s all about the ins and outs of the candy industry and is written by Steve Almond, the most devoted lover of candy I’ve ever heard of. After I read it I got online and ordered a case of NECCO wafers. Seriously, a case. That was 2 years ago and I’m still going through them.

    And, just to add to the resounding support, I LOVE BUTTER RUM LIFESAVERS. I recently found some at Michael’s (the craft store), of all places.

    posted by Eseide on 5-13-2010 at 2:11 pm

  48. All you guys: check out a book called Candy Freak. It’s all about the ins and outs of the candy industry and is written by Steve Almond, the most devoted lover of candy I’ve ever heard of. After I read it I got online and ordered a box of something like 50 packs of NECCO wafers. Seriously. That was 2 years ago and I’m still going through them.

    And, just to add to the resounding support, I LOVE BUTTER RUM LIFESAVERS. I recently found some at Michael’s (the craft store), of all places.

    posted by Eseide on 5-13-2010 at 2:12 pm

  49. I want to second Candy Freak! I love that book…I got hooked on Valomilks after reading it!

    I bought Zotz recently at a nostalgia store in Omaha’s Old Market. They had licorice pipes and Squirrel Nut Zippers too! And Black Jack gum, my favorite!

    posted by vegebrarian on 5-13-2010 at 3:49 pm

  50. With my first pregnancy, I had to order a case of “pomplemousse” (grapefruit) mentos from Canada to satisfy a craving. The baby is now 2.5yrs, and we’re still working through the case. . .

    posted by bgweil on 5-13-2010 at 3:59 pm

  51. Vanilla Bonomo’s Turkish Taffy was one of my favorites. You would smack the closed package on a wall or the ground and it would break into small pieces. It was much easier to eat than trying to bite some off.

    Also, Reed’s Cinnamon candy. Whoo! those were hot.

    posted by Sue on 5-13-2010 at 4:22 pm

  52. I miss good old Life Savers in a roll. I loved the tropical fruit ones, because of the coconut. I always wished they’d just sell a roll of all coconut!

    Speaking of coconut, I’ve been looking high and low for coconut M&Ms. Some friends have found them, but I haven’t been able to.

    posted by Tammy King on 5-13-2010 at 4:26 pm

  53. give me escargot and green kool – aid any day.

    posted by dirk alan on 5-13-2010 at 10:11 pm

  54. I live in Korea. “Red Orange” (mentioned in the mentos) is what most countries around here call grapefruit. Really their name makes more sense since it is orange outside and red inside but grape-like no where.

    posted by Cor on 5-13-2010 at 11:59 pm

  55. Not an original, but I miss the Crispy M&Ms. I’m a little sad that they ret-conned Orange for the Peanut Butter M&MS when he was introduced for the Crispy ones.

    posted by JasmineP on 5-14-2010 at 12:29 am

  56. At least some of these candies can be found at the website Hometown Favorites.

    posted by cmfalls on 5-14-2010 at 1:09 am

  57. After reading your post I went to the m&m website to try to find where the pretzel ones are… turned up nothing. I went to CVS this morning and there thet were at the front register! I’ve only had one (it’s waaaay to early for chocolate) but the first taste was good, I think it will only get better (and they only have 150 calories in a bag and 15g of sugar- better than regular)

    posted by Shawn on 5-14-2010 at 8:24 am

  58. Tammy King – Try the Reese’s Almond Joy Pieces. Better than the coconut M&M’s. More coconut flavor.
    What’s making me crazy these days is that the M&M site says that the “Wildly Cherry” M&M’s are supposed to be available again. I can’t find them anywhere and they were GREAT the last time they were around about 2 1/2 years ago. Has anyone seen them?

    posted by larriann on 5-16-2010 at 5:48 pm

  59. Starburst did’t become Starburst until fairly recently here (the UK). I can definately remember Opal Fruits in orange, strawberry, lemon and lime flavours, and I’m 25 so the change clearly didn’t occur as early as 1967…
    Also, Starburst made a kind of jellybean with a gooey centre for a while which seem to have vanished. I think they were called Joosters, and I want them back!!

    posted by Willow on 5-18-2010 at 5:23 am

  60. You get 202
    Mouth-watering chews
    In M&M’s
    Fruit
    Chewies…

    original jingle for the original name of Starburst! The rest went, if memory serves:

    Five fruit flavors
    Six pieces per pack
    Costs just a nickel,
    And that’s not all, Jack…

    posted by Sallie Parker on 6-7-2010 at 7:46 pm

  61. The flavors in Necco wafers are orange, lemon, clove, chocolate, cinnamon, licorice, and wintergreen. There used to be lime too, but last year they started making them with all natural flavors and colors, and had to drop the lime flavor in the process.

    posted by the Cosmic Jester on 6-10-2010 at 12:44 am

  62. A personal favorite (that I once thought were Jujubes) are Candy Raisins. Although they have nothing to do with actual raisin (and come in a color admittedly reminiscent of earwax), they have a very unique flavor that reminds me of nutmeg, of all things. Very sweet, with a nice chewy texture (and vegan, for those of us who are interested in such details).

    posted by Araxie on 6-10-2010 at 3:10 am

  63. Being a lover of black licorice, I have always wanted to get my hands (and my mouth) on a black licorice gun, such as Nelly & Willie Olsen used on Little House on the Prairie to try to hold up the bank I think… That was, of course, until Willie ate it!

    posted by Pearls on 6-20-2010 at 11:19 pm

  64. I miss Smores bars. I loved those things and was so upset when they discontinued them. WHY, Hershey, WHY?!

    When I went to England on a school trip, I was amazed to find they have KitKats that are chocolate with orange and chocolate with mint. I brought back a pack of each kind. My mom and sister loved the orange ones, but I’ve never enjoyed that combination. I was happy to munch on the mint ones. I wish I could find them in the US!

    Even “normal” candies taste differently overseas though. In England, Skittles aren’t as sweet – I thought they were delicious, although most of my group didn’t. We watched a movie in our hotel one night, and when I pulled out a bag of Skittles to share with them, I had a bunch of suspicious looks at the bag, then someone asked “Are those American Skittles or British Skittles?” I said they were American and people dove for them.

    posted by Kate on 6-21-2010 at 11:01 pm

  65. I’d buy Root Beer and Butter Rum Life Savers! I love Jelly Belly.

    posted by Sara in Al on 7-15-2010 at 3:57 pm

  66. I want the Seven Up bar back! Seven diferent flavored pieces held together with chocolate!

    posted by Linda on 7-15-2010 at 4:39 pm

  67. Man, I would LOVE to try clove Life Savers. Every time I go to Cracker Barrel, I stock up on clove-flavored candy sticks.

    posted by Amy on 7-15-2010 at 10:19 pm

  68. I love all the special varieties of Hershey’s kisses but I can only find my favorite around the holidays — it’s the chocolate-cherry flavor.
    Ghirardelli used to make a chocolate-orange-filled square but I can’t find it anymore!

    posted by Cathy on 7-31-2010 at 8:54 am

  69. Mmmm Violet lifesavers sounds amazing. I love violet and rose candies.

    posted by kit on 7-31-2010 at 4:01 pm

  70. My mom brought me some Cola flavored Mentos from the Philippines. Yum! Wish they were available in the US.

    posted by Susie on 1-24-2011 at 12:01 pm

  71. Wish they’d bring back “Transformed” M&Ms from the Transformers movie promo…. peanutbutter M&Ms with a strawberry jam-flavored shell. THE BEST.

    posted by S on 1-24-2011 at 12:04 pm

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