I've mentioned this on this blog before, but it's time to mention it again: Any food I like will not be around long. It's a special curse that I endure, punishment for some past transgression that I can't recall. Maybe it was pulling the "Do Not Remove" tag from my couch; maybe it was not washing my hands before leaving a restroom (I was just in there to comb my hair, I swear) but this curse has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, leaving a path of discontinued food products in its wake. Quisp cereal, Delaware Punch, Fizzers candy, Chocolate Zingers and Mother's Raisin cookies are among the products I can no longer find (or find very hard to obtain). And now, I find the curse has reached back to victimize a product over 100 years old. I refer, of course, to Necco Wafers.
Necco Wafers were founded in 1847 by Oliver Chase, who invented the first automated machine to produce lozenges for medicinal purposes. He eventually discovered the machine could also produce lozenge-sized candy wafers, which became the top product of the New England Confectionery Company, abbreviated NECCO. The wafers became extremely popular in the intervening years due to their durability. Admiral Byrd brought over two tons of wafers with him on a two year expedition to the Antarctic. During World War Two, the US government bought Necco Wafers to send to the troops oversees. They found that the candy would not melt or break while being shipped overseas. The soldiers returning from WWII eventually became a fan base that continued for many years.
In recent years, the company has experimented with the product, with some success and some misses. Lime flavor wafers were eliminated, and a move to more natural flavors and colors was among the missteps. The company has since returned to the original formulations.
Necco wafers is one of those candies that fall in the same group as Candy Corn - some people love them, while a large population find them revolting. Many people feel Necco wafers taste like colored chalk, while others call them "Plaster Surprise." Personally, I have always had a fondness for Necco Wafers, although I avoid the clove, cinnamon, licorice and wintergreen flavors. (May I also add that I find Candy Corn revolting. No room for debate there)
I recently discovered that NECCO produces Tropical Necco Wafers. This pack, introduced in 2012, contains mango, passion fruit, banana, strawberry, coconut and the long-missed lime wafers. I found these to be an exceptional treat, and will eat all the flavors except coconut. I have been buying several packs of these whenever I find them. Of course, I should have seen it coming... They won't be around long.According to this article, the NECCO company may close within the next 30 days if a buyer cannot be found. This would mean the layoff of almost 400 employees, plus an end to the Necco wafers we all know and some of us love. Not a Necco Wafer fan? Well, maybe you'll be more interested to learn about another candy that NECCO started producing in 1902, and since that time has become a holiday institution. But more on that next week.
Currently, the public at large is reacting as we would expect - they are panicking. Retailers are reporting a huge spike in sales for Necco Wafers. Not wanting to be left out, I am off to find some Necco Tropical wafers. I will place them in the underground bunker where I store cases of Quisp cereal, Screaming Yellow Zonkers, Swenson's Ice Cream, Ramblin' Root Beer and other products that have been the victim of my special curse. Tune in next week to learn about the OTHER candy that you are going to want to start buying. Like them or not, it will be a tradition you'll be sorry to lose...
