Last Updated on April 28, 2021 by Jim Edwards
Contents
What are Necco Wafers?
Necco Wafers are candy wafers that are sold in an assortment of flavors, all packaged in a single cylindrical roll. The original Necco wafers come in an assortment of eight flavors – orange, wintergreen, cinnamon, clove, licorice, lime, lemon, and chocolate.
History of Necco Wafers
Necco Wafers came into existence for the first time in 1847. The New England Confectionery Company produced it in Boston, Massachusetts. Necco Wafers were the company’s core product. The company is no longer functional.
Oliver Chase in 1847 used a lozenge cutting machine to produce the candy. He invented the machine. The wafers were called Hub Wafers during Civil War.
In 1901, the New England Confectionery Company (NECCO) was formed by merging Chase and Company with two other companies. The name “Necco Wafers” was incorporated in 1912 and has been the name since then.
Necco Wafers were exclusively produced for the US soldiers during World War II. The candy’s sales were rising.
The Necco company filed for bankruptcy in 2018, and the production of the candy was discontinued. In May 2018, the company was bought by Round Hill Investments. Still, the candy production remained shut due to claims of sanitation issues.
Different Necco lines were sold to different candy companies by Round Hill Investments. The Spangler Candy Company of Ohio purchased the Necco Wafers, Canada Mints, and Sweethearts division.
Spangler released a statement in September 2018 regarding the return of Necco Wafers on the retail floors. November 2019 was the set target date, but the wafers were finally back on May 27, 2020. The production facility of the Necco Wafers was moved to Mexico.
The formula of the Necco Wafers was altered in 2009. The company eliminated the usage of artificial colors and flavors. The texture was made softer by including glycerine in the formula.
However, in 2020 Spangler announced that the original flavors and formula had returned except for chocolate. The chocolate pieces were made extra chocolaty.
What is the Taste and Flavor of Necco Wafers like?
The candy pieces have a chalky texture. They are bite-sized and easy to chew. You experience a slight crunch when you take a bite. The flavors in the original Necco Wafers are a weird mix. From chocolate to tangy flavors, you even find unconventional flavors like clove and cinnamon.
The original Necco Wafers roll contains an assortment of eight flavors:
| Color | Flavor |
| Orange | Orange |
| Pink | Wintergreen |
| White | Cinnamon |
| Purple | Clove |
| Black | Licorice |
| Green | Lime |
| Yellow | Lemon |
| Brown | Chocolate |
Other Necco Flavors:
- Chocolate Necco Wafers – contains candy pieces of only chocolate flavor.
- Tropical Necco Wafers – contains an assortment of lime, mango, banana, strawberry, passion fruit, and coconut flavors.
- Necco Sour Wafers – contains an assortment of lemon, watermelon, sour apple, blue raspberry, extreme tangerine, and wildberry grape flavors.
What are the ingredients in Necco Wafers?
The ingredients in original Necco Wafers are corn syrup, sugar, vegetable gums (Gum Tragacanth, Arabic & Xanthan), gelatin, citric acid, chocolate, natural flavors, artificial flavors, and artificial colors (Blue 1, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 3, Red 40).
Nutritional Facts of Necco Wafers
The nutritional facts mentioned below are for a serving size of one roll of Necco Wafers.
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat (0 g) | 0% |
| Saturated Fat (0 g) | 0% |
| Trans Fat (0 g) | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrates (56 g) | 19% |
| Dietary Fiber (0 g) | 0% |
| Total Sugar (55 g) | |
| Sodium (0 mg) | 0% |
| Cholesterol (0 mg) | 0% |
| Protein (0 g) | 0% |
| Potassium (0 mg) | 0% |
| Calcium (0 mg) | 0% |
| Iron (0 mg) | 0% |
| Vitamin A (0 mcg) | 0% |
| Vitamin C (0 mcg) | 0% |
If you prefer a licorice only candy, be sure to read our Good & Plenty Review!
Necco Wafers Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many calories are there in Necco Wafers?
One roll of original Necco Wafers contains 220 calories.
Are Necco Wafers gluten-free?
The original Necco Wafers do not contain any ingredients that contain gluten. However, the candies are produced in a facility that handles wheat, eggs, milk, and certain nuts. There could be a possibility of cross-contamination. Kindly read the product label or consult an expert if you suffer from a gluten allergy.
Are Necco Wafers vegan?
The product packaging does not state if the candies are vegan or not. However, Necco Wafers are produced in a facility that handles eggs and milk too. There is always a slight chance of cross-contamination.
If you want to read about a more flavorful wafer candy, be sure to read our Bottle Caps Candy Review. And if you like banana flavor, Necco makes an intense banana fruit chew the Necco Banana Split Candy.
Video: How Necco Wafers are Made
If you want to see in detail a tour of the factory and how they are made, this view is worth a watch.
See also Robin Eggs Candy Review
Image Credit: “Necco Wafers, pics by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube #NeccoWafers” byJeepersMedia is licensed under CC BY 2.0
I’m Jim Edwards and I started this website to share my love of Junk Food. We cover new junk food, desserts, snack foods, fast food secret menus, candy (of course!) and other related news. We love trying “secret menus” at restaurants. And we love trying new products too. So, we are trying to have some fun with our hobby and share some useful information with you, our community. Please feel to send us your suggestions and feedback through the contact form. And if you have products you would like us to try, let us know…!
