Smarties (tablet candy)

In the United States, Smarties are a type of tablet candy produced by Smarties Candy Company, formerly known as Ce De Candy Inc., since 1949.<ref name=ny>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=njnews>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Smarties are produced in factories in both Union Township, New Jersey, and Newmarket, Ontario.<ref name=njnews/> The candies distributed in Canada are marketed as Rockets, to avoid confusion with Smarties,<ref name=njnews/><ref name=cbcnews>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> a chocolate candy produced by Nestlé which holds the trademark in Canada.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The New Jersey factory produces approximately 1 billion rolls of Smarties annually,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and in total the company produces over 2.5 billion in a year.<ref name=cbcnews/><ref name=cnn/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

One individual candy is a biconcave disc in shape, with a diameter of roughly 1 cm (0.39 in) and a height of roughly 4 mm (0.16 in). Larger ones have a diameter of 2.5 cm (0.98 in) and are about 6 mm (0.24 in) thick. Smarties come in combinations of colors within their wrapped rolls; these include white and pastel shades of yellow, pink, orange, purple, and green.<ref name=philzendia>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Each color's flavor is different. They are usually packaged as a roll of 15 candies.<ref name=njnews/><ref name=cnn>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Smarties candies are peanut-free, gluten-free, fat-free, and dairy-free.<ref name=ny/><ref name=cnn/> All Smarties candies are free of animal products and therefore vegan.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=ecorazzi>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

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After World War II, the Dee family bought pellet machines and repurposed them to make candy.<ref name=ny/><ref name=cbcnews/><ref name="Christof">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This gave the candy its resemblance to tablet-style pills in shape and texture.<ref name=cbcnews/> When sugar prices spiked in the 1970s, Ce De Candy switched from sucrose to dextrose.<ref name=cbcnews/>

Edward Dee founded Ce De Candy in Bloomfield, New Jersey, in 1949. In 2011, the company was renamed Smarties Candy Company, after its most famous product.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=njnews/>

In 2004, Ce De Candy Co., Inc., in conjunction with Rock The Vote, manufactured 500,000 special edition Smarties with "Rock the Vote" on the wrapper.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A 3.5-ounce Theater box was released in 2009, with a retro look on the boxes.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In August 2011, the company confirmed that Smarties are vegan.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Starting on October 2, 2022, Smarties launched National Smarties Day, hosting a year supply giveaway of candy and launching a TikTok challenge to celebrate Edward Dee’s birthday.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Snorting controversy

In January 2011, a middle school in Provo Utah reported that its students had started to crush the Smarties into a fine powder and inhale them, mimicking a form of drug consumption, following a YouTube trend. Health effects of this trend could be scarring of the nasal cavity, irritation, and a possible risk of allergic reaction. A similar trend also observed at the same time at the Portsmouth school was "smoking" the Smarties, taking in the dust orally and blowing it out, resembling cigarette smoke.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Production

The Smarties Candy Company operates two factories, one in Union, New Jersey, and one in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. The factories produce Smarties 24 hours a day, five days a week, amounting to over 70,000 pounds (around 32,000 kilograms) per day. After mixing the dry ingredients they are pressed into tablets and then stacked and rolled into a Smarties wrapper for packaging.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref> Smarties Candy Company produces over 2 billion Smarties rolls every year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Ingredients

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Smarties Rolls

The ingredients in Smarties candies are dextrose, citric acid, calcium stearate, natural and artificial flavors, and colors.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> There are 25 calories and 6.9 grams of sugar in a roll of Smarties.<ref name=cnn/><ref name=philzendia/>

Flavors

Each package contains an assortment of pastel colors<ref name="philzendia" /><ref name="sweethistory">Template:Cite book</ref> in the following flavors:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• White: Orange cream
• Yellow: Pineapple
• Pink: Cherry
• Green: Strawberry
• Purple: Grape
• Orange: Orange

Smarties Candy Company also produces "X-treme Sour" and "Tropical" varieties of Smarties<ref name="sweethistory" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Full citation needed as well as "Lollies and Giant Lollies". In October 2015, the company launched Smarties 'n Creme, which are quarter-sized candy tablets with Smarties flavor on one side and creme flavor on the other.<ref name="ny" /><ref name="cnn" />

See also

• Necco Wafers
• Parma Violets
• SweeTarts

Further reading

• "These Women Have Business Smart(i.e.)s" Template:Webarchive
• "A Candy Crush on Smarties" Template:Webarchive

External links

• Smarties website