10 Local Candy Brands Across The World That We Think Are Awesome

Everyone loves candies no matter where they live or how old they are. Aside from certain health conditions that may prohibit you from having candies, there are very few reasons to avoid them. Although candies are found in very diverse forms around the world, it is impossible to ignore American versions of candies which in many cases are great examples of innovation in confectionary. Festivals centred around candies like the Easter week and Halloween have turned American candies into the cultural icons. According to 2012 Nielsen report, around 90 million pounds chocolate candy is sold over the Easter Week.

However, we’ll not just talk about American favourites but expand our taste to some of the best candy brands around the world. We have collected a basket list full of local candy brands which are ruling the world. Though we know that Mars Inc. and the Hershey Company are not exactly local, yet some of their candies are marketed only in specific regions. Anyway, let’s take a tour of The Local Brand’s Chocolate Factory:

Mars candy at a supermarket — Mars has an almost omnipresent brand across the world

Mars, Incorporated – Mars, Inc. is an American global manufacturer of confectionery products founded by Frank C. Mars in 1911. Today, Mars Inc. is the 3rd largest privately held company in the U.S. The company is fully owned by the Mars family. The company sells some of the most popular confectionery brands such as M&M’s, Twix, Milky Way Skittles, Snickers, and the Mars bar. They also produce non-confectionery snacks, such as Uncle Ben’s Rice, Combos, and other foods, including pasta sauce brand Dolmio, pet foods, such as Whiskas and Pedigree brands.

Grupo Bimbo – Grupo Bimbo is the largest Mexican baking company. It was founded by Lorenzo Servitje, Jaime Sendra, Roberto Servitje, José T. Mata, Alfonso Velasco and Jaime Jorba. Established in Mexico in 1945, Bimbo produces more than 10,000 products under around 100 household brands such as Arnold, El Globo, Barcel, Eagle, Fargo, Marinela, Thomas’, McGavin’s, Mrs Baird’s, New York Bakery Co., Pullman, Nutrella, Oroweat, Plus Vita, POM, Ricolino, Sara Lee, Silueta, Tia Rosa, and many other groups. This company acquired Fifth place among the Top 25 Mexican brands in 2014. It was also awarded Good Neighbour Award 2013 from the United States.

The Hershey Company – Until April 2005, The Hershey Company was known as the Hershey Foods Corporation and popularly called as Hershey’s. Hershey is an iconic brand for chocolate candy bar and one of the oldest chocolate candy bar maker in the US. It is was established by Milton Hershey. Hershey’s candy and food products are sold in about 60 countries worldwide. Hershey is one of the member of the World Cocoa Foundation. Other companies include Hershey Entertainment, Hershey Trust Company and Resorts Company, which runs Hershey park (a chocolate-theme park), the Hershey Bears (a professional hockey team for minors), the Giant Center and Hershey park Stadium.
Hershey’s dedication to chocolate is apparent from the seven chocolate themed fun parks across US

Jelly Belly – Earlier Jelly Belly Candy Company was known as Herman Goelitz Candy Company or Goelitz Confectionery Company. Jelly Belly is the manufacturer of famous “Jelly Beans” and a huge range of other confectionary items. This company has been in this business since the 1860s, but Jelly Belly also claims to have invented the first gourmet jelly beans in 1976. U.S. President Ronald Reagan loved the ‘Jelly beans’ and even kept a jar or small box filled with them on his desk at oval office, in the White House, Blair House and even on Air Force One. Ronald Reagan also sent jelly beans to outer space as a surprise for the astronauts. Jelly belly’s Licorice was Reagan’s favourite flavour.
Jelly beans can be of just about any color and type

Employee of Ezaki Glico works on a Pocky production line at the company’s Kitamoto factory in Kitamoto

Ezaki Glico – Ezaki Glico is a Japanese confectionery company. The brand name, Glico, is the short form of the chemical word glycogen. Glico-Caramel candy was their first candy product in the market. The Glico 300 candy is marketed on a calorie meter concept. Apparently the candy is of 15.4 kcal, which is supposed to be equal to the energy required to make a person of 165 centimetre height and 55kg weight run exactly 300 meters. The Glico 300 brand is trademarked based on a tested formula, so that nobody in future can object to their marketing strategy. Ezaki Glico was also the main advertisement sponsor of the animation series “Tetsujin 28″.

Wawel – Wawel industry is a well-recognized Poland confectionery brand, producing many varieties of chocolate bars, chocolates, snacks and wafers. It was originally founded in 1898 by Adam Piasecki as a local street confectionery shop and in 1910 its production unit moved to a well built factory, one of the largest in the city at that time. After World War II, Wawel was nationalised and even merged with two other companies: Suchard and Pischinger. As of 2007, around half of its shares are owned by Hosta International (Swiss Company).Some of Wawel’s popular candy products are Wawel Raczki Candy, Peanut candy fistaszkowe and also compound coated peanut candy.
Looking out of a Wawel candy store in Poland.

Millions of Tootsie Rolls are rolled out every day and the brand has become iconic with its packaging

Tootsie Roll Industries – Tootsie is a manufacturer of confectionery items best represented as Rolls and Pops in the United States. Currently, Tootsie Roll Industries sold its brands internationally in more than 75 other countries. It was founded by Leo Hirshfield in 1893 who once wished to create a chocolate candy that doesn’t melt in hot summers. He named the chocolate candy on the nickname of his daughter, Clara “Tootsie” Hirshfield. The company has acquired several popular brands such as The Candy Corporation of America’s Mason Division, Cella’s Confections, Warner-Lambert’s candy division, The Charms Company Andes Candies and Concord Confections.

The Pedro candy from Raisio

Raisio – Raisio is the Finland based company that has increased its confectionery unit by acquiring Czech company “Candy Plus”. According to a Confectionery news website, Candy Plus focuses on currently most demanding categories of liquorice, soft jellies and functional confectionery. Candy Plus also includes functional dairy brand Benecol. Candy Plus has a strong consumer base in its home country, the Czech Republic, for its brands Pedro, Juicee Gummee, Cuksy and Fundy. The company is focusing on Candy Plus brand so, that they can expand their business worldwide.

Although an Easter Novelty, this packaging of Fazer rich chocolate involves real egg shells

Fazer-: Fazer is the largest company in the Finland’s food industry. Fazer was originally founded by Karl Fazer in 1891. Today, it employs more than 10,000 in Finland as well as in many other countries including UK, Sweden and Russia. Fazer’s production line is divided into four major areas: Fazer Café (a chain of cafés), Fazer Amica (a chain of work-place restaurants), Candyking and Fazer bakeries, producing various kinds of bread. The brand is known for the chocolate flavoured tea and also Pantteri is a popular brand of candies by Fazer. Particularly, Fazer’s classic chocolate (Fazerin Sininen maitosuklaa) is popular within Finland, and also for the blue colour wrapper which has been used by Fazer company for a whole product line.

Ricola – Ricola is a Swiss manufacturer of breath mints and cough drops. It is one of the few successful firms which focus on using herbal ingredients. Ricola was founded Emil Wilhelm Richterich in 1930 when he established Confiseriefabrik Richterich & Co. Laufen, the bakery specialized in confectionery items such as “Fünfermocken,” a sweet candy which was very similar to caramel ones. In 1940, Richterich invented Ricola’s Swiss Herbal Sweet which included a blend of 13 natural herbs. While the main ingredient in almost all Ricola products is menthol, the herb mixture is also very important part of their product. Ricola was awarded as Most Trusted brand in three consecutive years 2010, 11, 12 by the Reader’s Digest.
One of the more innovative packaging for candies – Ricola gives out the perfect sense with it’s unwrap your voice campaign

Let us know which candy brands you love the most. Do you know a brand that should be on this list but we missed it? Please let us know in your comments below. We would be very interested to know your views. Reach me on marty@thelocalbrand.com with your suggestions.

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