Whether You Call Them “Sweethearts” Or “Conversation Hearts,” The History Of How These Classic Valentine’s Day Candies Came To Be Involves Pharmaceuticals And America’s First Candy Machine

Aside from red roses and chocolate boxes, one of the most popular Valentine’s Day gifts is those tiny pieces of heart-shaped and pastel-colored candies that come with short and sweet messages.
You may know them as “Necco hearts,” “conversation hearts,” “Sweethearts,” or simply “candy hearts.” But whatever you call them, these sweet symbols of love are undeniably iconic.
Now, whether or not Sweethearts actually taste good is still a highly heated debate. Some people cannot get enough of them, while others despise the chalk-like texture.
Regardless of if you love or hate the candies, though, they have remained one of the most purchased and unmistakable treats around the holiday. Plus, there is no denying that they are aesthetically adorable and can fluff up any Valentine’s Day present.
But what were these legendary candies first made of, and where did they even come from? That is a whole other remarkable story that involves early pharmacies and America’s first-ever candy machine.
The History Of Sweethearts
The tale of conversation hearts goes all the way back to 1847. That year, a Boston pharmacist named Oliver Chase actually invented the machine that streamlined the process of lozenge production.
At that time, apothecary lozenges were in increasing demand. They essentially consisted of medicine mixed with some sugar paste and were popularly used to remedy sore throats. As Mary Poppins once said, “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down,” right?
Anyway, actually making these sought-after medical lozenges was a very labor-intensive process. First, people would have to pulverize the ingredients using a mortar and pestle. Then, they had to knead the dough, roll it out, and cut it into tiny discs.

Brent Hofacker – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
And Oliver Chase knew that there had to be a much easier way. So, he decided to simplify the process by inventing his lozenge cutter– which is now widely known as America’s first candy machine.
Then, after using that new technology in the pharmaceutical space, Oliver shifted his focus to sweets. Oliver first founded his business, Chase & Company, which later became known as the new England Confectionery Company, or “Necco.”
So, over time, those early candy lozenges evolved into the Necco wafers we know and love today.
It was not until 1866, though, that Oliver’s brother, Daniel Chase, conceptualized a novel process that differentiated Necco wafers from the rest of the treats on the market.
Daniel actually figured out a way to press sayings and words onto the candies via a felt roller pad that was moistened with red vegetable coloring.
What inspired him to come up with writing on candy? Well, there are a few different theories.
According to one legend, Union soldiers would carry around Necco wafers during the Civil War. Then, the common practice of sending love letters to soldiers is said to have sparked the idea of “conversation hearts.”
Others believe that Daniel was simply inspired by the skyrocketing popularity of Valentine’s Day cards– which Esther Howland, a Massachusetts resident, began selling during the mid-1800s.
Perhaps most likely, though, Daniel may have drawn inspiration from another popular candy known as “cockles,” which were shaped like a scallop shell and had a “motto” printed on thin paper inside.
So, rather than concealing a message like cockles, it appears as though Daniel decided to print the messages directly on top of the candy.
At first, the famed Sweethearts were not exactly hearts, either. The candies were first created in simple disc forms before appearing in more “fun” shapes– such as horseshoes, watches, and baseballs.
Then, in 1902, the first heart-shaped candies were created, and they were a smashing success.
The idea was so successful, in fact, that over the following 100 years, other smaller candy companies started to offer products based on similar premises. But, after Necco acquired Stark Candy Company in 1990, the company reportedly became “the leading manufacturer of conversation hearts.”
And today, Necco continues to produce about eight billion candy hearts every single year. Talk about a lot of “BE MINE” and “UR CUTE.”
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