A Completely Sweet Candy Bar History and Guide 

Caramel, nougat, chocolate, and peanuts. Nothing in the world soothes your sweet tooth like a deliciously decadent candy bar! Sometimes, when our blood sugar is low, these delicious sweet treats are the perfect go-to. They’re also great for rewarding children, cheering up grown-ups, and making the holidays that much sweeter!

Let’s Learn About Candy Bars 

Kids and adults alike will agree that nothing can top a Snickers, KitKat, Butterfinger, or Hershey’s bar. But how much do we really know about these popular treats? Have you ever wondered when candy bars were technically invented? After all, who came up with this wonderful snack? Also, which candy bars are the most popular today? 

In this comprehensive guide, we’re going to cover it all. Here, we’ll walk you through everything and anything you could ever want to know about candy bars. We’ll also answer some candy bar trivia questions and take you on a yummy trip down candy bar memory lane! 

Additionally, we’ve included an in-depth list of the top 25 most popular candy bars in the world today. On top of that, we added in the history of each treat accordingly. That way, the next time you chomp into a delicious candy bar, you’ll be a real expert!

Exactly what is a candy bar? 

First and foremost, let’s discuss what a candy bar actually is. When you think of candy bars, you’re probably thinking of chocolate bars like Hershey’s, Snickers, or possibly even something a little bit more complex like Reese’s. So what is the technical definition of a candy bar?

Well, a candy bar is literally defined as any candy treat in the shape of a bar. Even though this is the standard definition, many candy bars are not necessarily rectangularly shaped. 

For example, Reese’s, Kit Kats, and even M&M’s fall into the candy bar category but aren’t shaped like bars. This can be helpful to know when you’re looking for the right category in which to shop for your favorite snacks. 

Indeed, a candy bar is simply a confectionery treat aimed to satisfy your sweet tooth. Generally, candy bars include ingredients like chocolate, caramel, marshmallow, nuts, dates, and so on.  With such a wide range of styles with an endless list of ingredients, there’s probably a candy bar for everyone to love!

What is the difference between a chocolate bar and a candy bar?

Furthermore, candy bars and chocolate bars are not technically the same thing. Although sugar is the primary ingredient for both of these treats, chocolate bars contain cocoa as their main ingredient. In contrast, candy bars can include a range of other non-cocoa ingredients and may or may not contain dark or milk chocolate. 

Fascinating Facts About Candy Bars 

Now, let’s dive deep into some sweet candy bar treat trivia! After all, candy bars are pretty fascinating. In fact, many people don’t realize just how rich and delicious the history of the candy bar actually is! 

Candy Bar Ranking 

In addition to this, did you know that candy bars can be ranked by world popularity? You can also find out what the most popular candy bar in your state is! So, read on to get some fascinating candy bar trivia. That way, the next time someone tells you what their favorite candy bar is, you can hit them with some fascinating and mind-blowing trivia in return!

What was the first candy bar ever created? 

Have you ever taken the time to wonder which candy bars came first? Well, to understand the candy bar evolution, you’ll first have to know how chocolate used to be consumed. 

Back in the day, people used to drink chocolate! In fact, for most of history, chocolate was consumed in bitter or spicy beverages. This was true in the Americas and in Europe. 

Then, in 1847, a man named Joseph Fry entirely changed the game. Joseph Fry pressed a paste of cocoa powder into a sugary block mold. This rudimentary form of a chocolate bar is considered to be the first candy bar ever created. 

Little did Joseph Fry know, he was creating a confection that would revolutionize the world forever! Joseph Fry’s chocolate squares were unexpectedly useful. People loved how convenient and portable they were! In fact, Fry’s Chocolate Cream is still available for sale today. Later, Milton Hershey made chocolate bars even more famous. By the 1910s, essentially everyone in Europe and America had tasted a chocolate bar! 

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Where does the Snickers bar name come from? 

Here’s another great piece of candy bar trivia. Did you know that Snickers candy bars are actually named after a horse? It’s true! Snickers was the name of a beloved horse belonging to the Mars family, the founders of the Mars candy company. 

You see, just a month or two before the candy was scheduled to launch, the owner’s favorite horse passed away. The original name of the Snickers chocolate bar was going to be Marathon. However, the founders of Snickers changed the name to commemorate their equine companion. 

Where does the Kit Kat name originate?

Did you know that Kit Kat candy bars used to go by a totally different name? It’s true! Kit Kat candy bars were originally introduced as Rowntree’s Chocolate Crisps. 

That name truly is a mouthful! It doesn’t go with the song either. Imagine singing “Give me a break, give me a break, break me off a piece of that Rowntree Chocolate Crisp…” 

Anyway, these chocolate-covered wafers were named after the original confectioner, Joseph Rowntree. After World War II, the candy’s name was switched to Kit Kat. Thankfully, this name is more fun to sing. 

Which cartoon character is a candy bar spokesperson?

Do you know which candy bar was promoted by a cartoon character? It’s the Butterfinger! The mascot of Butterfinger candy bars is none other than Bart Simpson. 

We all remember the line, “Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!” For two decades, the Nestle company produced more than 150 commercials featuring Bart Simpson as their official Butterfinger cartoon mascot! 

What was the first-ever combination candy bar?

Have you ever wondered which candy bar first incorporated a range of other textured ingredients? When did chocolate bars turn into something more? 

It all started many years ago. Back then, essentially all candy bars were made using chocolate as their primary ingredient. However, in 1912, the Nashville Howell Campbell company decided to make a new kind of candy bar with many ingredients. These ingredients included caramel, marshmallow, peanuts, and milk chocolate. 

This candy bar was called a GooGoo Cluster! Not only was it made up of various ingredients, but it also came in a rounded shape. This helped to set it apart from its many competitors. GooGoo Clusters are still popular today!

When were Twix candy bars first invented? 

You can’t have a candy bar trivia section without mentioning Twix. Twix is known for its Right Twix and Left Twix advertisement campaigns. So when were Twix bars first manufactured? Way back in the year 1967! In 1967, Forrest Mars senior who was the owner of Mars Limited officially launched the Twix candy bar in Britain. Later in 1979, it was offered in the United States. 

The Top 25 Most Popular Candy Bars In The World

Now that you know some fascinating candy bar trivia, let’s dive into which candy bars are most popular around the world today! For decades, many of these candy bars have enjoyed wide-scale popularity across the globe. Without further ado, here are the 25 most popular candy bars! 

25. Zero 

Although not everyone has eaten a Zero bar, these candy bars are actually extremely popular and have been around since the year 1920! A Zero candy bar is made of caramel, almond nougat, and peanuts, all wrapped in a layer of white chocolate fudge. These candy bars are white in color on the outside, which makes them unique in their own right. 

24. Mr. Goodbar

Mr. Goodbar is a candy bar that contains peanuts and chocolate. The packaging is identifiable by a bright yellow background with red text. Mr. Goodbar is manufactured by The Hershey Company and has been around since 1925.

23. Charleston Chew 

The Charleston Chew candy bar is made of nougat covered in a chocolate coating. It was created in 1925 by the Fox Cross Candy Company. Charleston Chews are named after the Charleston dance, which was popular at the time. 

22. 5th Avenue Candy Bar 

The Fifth Avenue candy bar was introduced in 1936. This candy bar consists of peanut butter crunch layers that are coated in chocolate. It’s produced and marketed by The Hershey Company. 

21. Oh Henry!

Oh Henry! candy bars contain peanuts, caramel, and fudge. Then, the entire conglomeration is coated in chocolate. This Nestle candy bar was introduced by George Williamson in Chicago in 1920. Although many stories exist, no one is really sure where the name comes from. 

20. Baby Ruth 

Baby Ruth candy bars consist of peanuts, milk chocolate, caramel, and flavored nougat. Then, this candy bar is coated in compound chocolate. It is distributed by the Ferrara candy company. The Baby Ruth candy bar was introduced in 1920 and is named after President Grover Cleveland’s daughter, Ruth Cleveland. Contrary to popular belief, this candy bar is not named after Babe Ruth the baseball player. 

19. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups 

Reese’s peanut butter cups are made using peanut cream with dark or milk chocolate. There are also white chocolate versions of this candy bar. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup candy bars come in a wide range of sizes and are also sometimes offered in holiday recipe flavors. For instance, Easter Reese’s come in the shape of Easter eggs while Halloween Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have pictures of jack-o’-lanterns on the packaging. 

18. Almond Joy 

Almond Joy candy bars contain real coconuts covered in milk chocolate with whole almonds. They also come available in a dark chocolate version called Mounds. Almond Joy and Mounds bars are made by The Hershey Company and were first introduced in the 1940s. 

17. 3 Musketeers

3 Musketeers candy bars are made in the United States by Mars Incorporated. These candy bars consist of fluffy whipped marshmallow moose covered in milk chocolate. 3 Musketeers candy bars were first introduced in 1932 and are named after the famous Three Musketeers fictional characters from the works of Alexandre Dumas. 

16. M&Ms

Another delicious creation from Mars Incorporated, M&M’s are colorful button-shaped chocolates with the letter M printed on the front of them. M&M’s are made using sweet milk chocolate with a candy coating. They were first introduced in 1941 and have since become popular in over 100 countries around the globe!

15. Butterfinger 

Butterfinger candy bars are manufactured by the Ferrara candy company, which is a subsidiary of Ferraro. These candy bars consist of layered crispy peanut butter with a crunchy texture. Then, they’re covered in chocolate. Butterfinger candy bars were first introduced in 1923. 

14. Bit O Honey

Bit O Honey bars have been around since 1924. They’re made by the Schutter Johnson Company and are wrapped in wax paper. These candy bars contain real honey and almonds. They’re chewy and toffee-like! 

13. Heath Bar 

Heath candy bars are made of toffee, milk chocolate, and almonds. These thin hard candy bars are very similar to Hershey’s Skor bars, although the Heath bar came out first. The beginnings of the Heath bar can be traced back to as early as 1914 to Leaf Incorporated!

12. Raisinets 

These chocolate-covered raisins are made by Ferrara and sold around the world. Sometimes called Chocolate Covered Raisins, they were invented in 1927 by the Blumenthal Chocolate Company. These candies are known as a great movie theater snack! 

10. 100 Grand Bar 

Coming in at number 10 is the 100 Grand Bar. This candy bar is produced by the Ferrara candy company, which is a subsidiary of Ferrero. The candy bar was created in 1964 and consists of rich caramel and crisped rice covered in sweet milk chocolate. This candy bar is called 100 Grand because it is so rich! 

9. Nestle Chunky 

The Nestle Chunky candy bar is made up of milk chocolate, roasted peanuts, and raisins. It has a square pyramid shape and is made by the Ferrara candy company. Chunky candy bars were first introduced in the 1930s in New York City by candy maker Philip Silvershein!

8. PayDay 

PayDay candy bars were introduced in 1932 by the Hollywood Candy Company. This candy bar is made of salted peanuts that have been rolled over a nougat and caramel center. PayDay candy bars were marketed during the Great Depression. They were released on the Hollywood Candy Company’s payday, which is where they get their name. 

9. Whatchamacallit 

Whatchamacallit candy bars are made by The Hershey Company and were first marketed in the United States. Furthermore, Whatchamacallit candy bars were introduced to the public in 1978. The name was devised by Sally Grayson, a marketing guru. These candy bars consist of peanut-flavored crisps and peanut butter with a thin coat of chocolate. 

8. Reese’s Take 5

Take 5 candy bars are made by The Hershey Company. The original name of this candy was Take5, but over time, a space was added to the name. Take 5 candy bars were first released in 2004. These candy bars are made up of five ingredients: chocolate, caramel, peanut butter, peanuts, and pretzels. 

7. Nestle Crunch 

Nestle Crunch bars are also known as Crunch bars. These candy bars are made with milk chocolate and crispy rice pieces. They were first introduced in the late 1920s. The top competitor of the Nestle Crunch bar is the Krackel bar produced by Hershey. 

6. Twix

Twix candy bars are made of caramel and shortbread and covered in milk chocolate. These candy bars are produced by Mars Incorporated. Twix candy bars were first introduced in the United Kingdom in 1967. They were not released in the United States until 1979. 

There are also many lesser-known holiday flavored versions of Twix candy bars. These include Christmas gingerbread Twix bars, winter spice Twix bars, peanut butter Twix bars, Twix Miniatures, cookies-and-cream Twix, chocolate fudge Twix, ice cream Twix, and hundreds more. 

5. Snickers 

Snickers candy bars are made by the American Mars Incorporated candy company. Snickers candy bars are made using caramel and peanuts rolled in nougat and coated in milk chocolate. 

Every year, more than two billion dollars of Snickers candy bars are sold around the world. Snickers was first released in the 1930s. The name Snickers comes from a favorite horse that was owned by the original Mars family. 

4. Cookies ‘N Cream

Cookies ‘N Cream candy bars are made by the Hershey company. Hershey’s ‘N Cream bars are flat white chocolate candy bars containing small uniformly shaped pieces of chocolate cookie. Some compare the taste of Cookies ‘N Cream candy bars to Oreo cookies! The Cookies ‘N Cream candy bar was first released in 1994. 

3. Kit Kat 

Kit Kat candy bars are made with milk chocolate and cookie wafers. Kit Kat candy bars are made by Nestle and were first released in 1935. Kit Kat candy bars can be split into four uniform pieces. The official Kit Kat slogan is “give me a break!” Kit Kats come in many flavors including mint, key lime pie, vanilla, white chocolate, and many more!

2. Milky Way 

The Milky Way bar is one of the most popular candy bars in North American. This scrumptious milk chocolate candy bar is filled with chewy soft caramel and nougat. It was invented in 1923 by Frank C. Mars. The name comes from its sweet milkshake-like flavor!

Interestingly enough, Milky Way candy bars in the United States contain caramel. However, International Milky Way candy bars do not contain caramel and instead have an extra helping of fluffy nougat. 

1. The Hershey Chocolate Bar 

Drum roll please, the number one candy bar in the world is the Hershey Chocolate Bar. Hershey chocolate bars were first created by Milton Hershey and have been successful since the late 1880s. 

Milton Hershey decided to create this now world-famous chocolate bar after seeing a German chocolate manufacturing device at the world’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Today, billions of Hershey bars are sold around the world. Hershey chocolate bars are considered to be the “Great American Chocolate Bar” and have been around for over 120 years! 

Wrapping it All Up 

There you have it! Now you’ve learned pretty much everything you could ever want to know about candy bars. Whether it’s Halloween, Christmas, or a birthday party, these deliciously sweet little treats are part of our culture and our history. Since now that you know all about these yummy treats, why not shop for some mouth-watering candy bars of your own?