Be Mine. You Rock. I’m Yours.
These timeless phrases are sure to make a sweet gift for that special someone every Valentine’s Day. The conversation heart candies adorned with the words are making a comeback after a rough couple of years.
There are three major versions of conversation hearts: Sweethearts, Brach’s Tiny Conversation Hearts, and SweeTarts. Sweethearts, created by Necco and then bought by Spangler Candy Co., is the oldest and most popular brand of the three, first manufactured in 1901, according to Food Business News.
Spangler Candy Co. was unable to produce Sweethearts in time for Valentine’s Day in 2019, and in 2020, the candy was only available in limited quantities. Three years later, these candies are now the most popular Valentine’s Day sweets of 2023, according to candystore.com.
However, despite the candy’s popularity, many have differing opinions regarding its taste and look.
“They’re good, but I wish they’d make them bigger, just so we can see the words on them better,” said Mia Ikeda said, a Carlmont freshman.
June Wakefield, another freshman at Carlmont high school, is on the fence about these sweet treats as well.
“I think it depends on the day. Sometimes I’m here for it, but after one or two, I kind of start to feel a little sick,” Wakefield said.
Conversation hearts are famous for their sugary sweetness and chalk-like consistency. Brach’s Tiny Conversation Hearts come in six standard flavors: wintergreen, banana, orange, lemon, cherry, and grape.
For all the people who love the taste of these candies, there are also people who dislike them, such as Carlmont sophomore Ryan Geng.
“They just taste like sugar. The chalky consistency is disgusting, and they get stuck to your teeth,” Geng said.
Regardless of the controversy surrounding these candies, conversation hearts have dominated candy sales this Valentine’s season, making up for their disappearance from shelves in 2019, according to candystore.com.
Aanya Bhatia, a sophomore at Carlmont, appreciates how these candies spread positive feelings around Valentine’s Day.
“I love them, and it’s really sweet to get or give them,” Bhatia said.
After struggling with production and company logistics, conversation hearts are back and getting their ever after this Valentine’s season.
