A Candy Store Classic: Candy Buttons

Did you love these as a kid?

Remember Candy Buttons? 

Also known as Candy Dots, these are small, button shaped candies that you peel off of a strip of paper. 

For anyone who grew up around the '70s or '80s, Candy Buttons were a staple. Just looking at a photo of them – these tiny, colorful and perfectly arranged candies – brings back memories! 

Did you ever play Doctor with these – and use Candy Buttons as medicine? Each color was a different cure!

The best part about this candy (aside from the fact that peeling the buttons from the paper is SO satisfying...) is that there's nothing else like it. As far as we know...it's the only "peelable" candy out there!

And that made us wonder – how did they come up with such a unique idea?

We did some digging and found out! 

The History of Candy Buttons 

Who Invented These? 

Candy Buttons were created in the 1930s by Cumberland Valley Company, a company based out of New York. They had just invented a machine that would produce tiny dots of flavored sugar and arrange them on a strip of paper. It was pretty revolutionary at the time! 

As for why this machine was invented...no one really knows! It is generally believed that the man behind the concept was George Theofiel Dib. He must have thought that kids (and adults...) would love them. And he was right!

In the late '70s, the Cumberland Valley Company sold Candy Buttons to NECCO. So, the buttons we remember were likely manufactured by them – the same company that created a lot of our favorite treats!

Candy Button Flavors 

Have you ever wondered what the different flavors are? 

The original candy buttons have three colors: pink (cherry), yellow (lemon), and blue (lime). 

Who knew that the blue ones are lime-flavored?!

Are Candy Buttons Still Being Made? 

As you might already know...NECCO filed for bankruptcy in 2018. That means that many of our favorite childhood candies were lost. (Like Sky Bars – but those did eventually come back!) 

So, what happened to Candy Buttons? 

Luckily, Candy Buttons were quickly acquired by another company – Doscher's Candy Company. So they're still in production! 

And we have them at Life is Sweet! Thank goodness – because they're a candy store classic! 

Take a walk down memory lane. Click here to shop Candy Buttons!

Do you have any memories of these from your childhood? We'd love to hear them!