After a nearly two-year hiatus, Necco wafers are returning to store shelves this summer, Spangler Candy Co. announced Thursday.
The Ohio-based company released a list of 32 retailers that will carry the nostalgic treats starting in June and July, including Cracker Barrel, CVS, Dollar General, Kroger and Walgreens.
"Just when comfort food is experiencing a resurgence, Necco wafers are back with that very kind of familiar, comfortable feeling we all seem to be craving," said Kirk Vashaw, CEO of Spangler Candy Co. "We are delighted to bring Necco Wafers back into production and to share in their sweet return with fans old and new."
Spangler said the Necco wafer recipe has remained “essentially unchanged,” though fans may detect a richer cocoa flavor in the chocolate wafers as a result of a minor improvement to the cooking process. The other seven original colors and flavors remain: Lemon (yellow), Lime (green), Orange (orange), Clove (light purple), Cinnamon (white), Wintergreen (pink) and Licorice (dark grey).
Vashaw told TODAY the wax paper roll packaging also remains unchanged, with Spangler using the same supplier. The wafers are being produced in a facility in Mexico.
"We know fans have been waiting anxiously for the return of Necco wafers and anticipate high demand,” Vashaw said. “Our production lines will continue to run as fast as possible to keep stores in-stock.”
Created by The New England Confectionery Company (NECCO), Necco wafers have been enjoyed for more than a century. Spangler noted Civil War soldiers carried them, and in 1913, explorer Donald MacMillan took them on his Arctic expeditions.
Necco wafers went to the South Pole in the 1930s, and during World War II, the U.S. government requisitioned a major portion of Necco wafer production since they’re portable and don’t melt while being shipped overseas.
Spangler Candy Co. bought the Necco brand and equipment in September 2018, a couple months after the original auction winners, Round Hill Investments, abruptly shut the embattled NECCO’s doors. Spangler also purchased the Sweethearts brand, which made an initial return to market for Valentine’s Day.
