Sky Bar Candy: History, Flavors & Facts
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Snack History Nostalgia Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
If you’re familiar with the NECCO brands or any fan favorites from them that are long gone, then you might already be familiar with the Sky Bar. This tasty bar has a long history and they even went through a period of being discontinued. Now, it is the only NECCO product that you will find manufactured and distributed directly from Massachusetts in the United States.
In this guide, we share everything you should know about Sky bar candy and all that it has to offer. Read more below!
| Sky Bar Candy | Facts |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1938 |
| Manufacturer | Originally NECCO; currently produced by Louise Mawhinney |
| Candy Type | Milk chocolate bar with multiple filled centers |
| Original Flavors | Caramel, vanilla, peanut, and fudge |
| Still Available | Yes, in limited production on the East Coast |
| Country of Origin | United States |
| Parent Company | NECCO (New England Confectionery Company) |
| Original Price | Five cents |
History
The Sky Bar was originally created by NECCO, or the New England Confectionery Company. It was a simple candy bar that was molded and unique at the time. It was one of the first chocolate bars to create flavored centers that were unique, and they had several different flavors. The bar was described as having filled chocolate blocks.
There were other competitors that tried to come up against them, and even some with this unique concept before them. However, none of those really compared the Sky Bar Candy. The first candy bar of Sky Bar was introduced in 1938. And it really took off in popularity and availability in the 50s and 60s when vending machines started to become popular.
You could find Sky Bars almost anywhere, including your family road trips. They hit advertising hard, and it paid off for them. It was one of the most popular candy bars of the era and a top choice for many. It was heavily popular on the East Coast of the United States but also preferred in other areas too.
This candy bar held its reign for more than 80 years. Then, they discontinued it briefly in 2018. But that didn’t last. In just over a year, it came back to the market and Sky Bar candy fans can still find their bars today.
Where NECCO has made a lot of changes through the years, they continue to manufacture the Sky Bar at their Massachusetts facility – and it’s the only candy bar created there by this brand today.
One of the most unique things about Sky Bar Candy is that the blocks aren’t all the same flavor. Actually, each of the four blocks in a single candy bar have different flavors, so you really get a candy bar with four flavors in one. Those included caramel, vanilla, peanut, and fudge. They were all delicious. And every flavor block is covered in tasty milk chocolate.
The candy bar was created by a candy maker who was working for NECCO. His name was Joseph Cangemi. When they brought the candy bar to market, they ran some attention-gathering advertising campaigns that really grabbed people’s attention and contributed to their popularity and success. These candy bars were just a nickel when they were introduced.
Quick Quiz
Which Of These Is The Oldest Candy?
The original flavors are not the same as the current flavors. While they’ve changed the core flavors within the Sky Bar candy bar a few times, they’ve never offered multiple varieties. We will talk a bit more about those flavors shortly.
They started out hot with a skywriting advertising campaign that told people to keep their eye on the sky. The campaign incorporated a contest that had people complete the sentence. They advertised it in The Boston Globe and offered cash prizes to the winners. It was a fun way to present the candy bar to the world.
Their advertising didn’t stop there. In 1945, they made a statement by being one of only six signs in Times Square that were illuminated. In 2009, Sky Bar offered a special candy bar that coordinated with the release of the movie New Moon. This had only three fillings in it and they were all unique, specialty fillings.
Through the years, they scaled back on production and you had to know just where to look to find your bar. They were still around, but only in niche areas or through online retailers.
In 2018, NECCO closed its doors and the Sky Bar Candy Bar was discontinued. In late 2019, a winning bid from Louise Mawhinney earned her the right to produce the bar. She continues to do so on the East Coast, in limited production.
Sky Bar Candy Timeline
- 1938 — Sky Bar introduced by NECCO at five cents each
- 1938 — Skywriting campaign and Boston Globe contest launched
- 1945 — Sky Bar sign among six illuminated displays in Times Square
- 1950s–1960s — Popularity surged with rise of vending machines
- 2009 — Special three-filling Sky Bar released for New Moon movie
- 2018 — NECCO closed; Sky Bar discontinued
- 2019 — Louise Mawhinney won bid to revive Sky Bar production
Sky Bar Candy vs Oh Henry! Bar
| Feature | Sky Bar Candy | Oh Henry! Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced | 1938 | 1920 |
| Manufacturer | Louise Mawhinney (formerly NECCO) | Ferrara Candy Company |
| Candy Type | Multi-section filled chocolate bar | Chocolate, caramel, fudge, and peanut bar |
| Flavors | Caramel, vanilla, peanut, fudge (four separate blocks) | Single bar with combined caramel, fudge, and peanut |
| Availability | Limited, primarily East Coast and online | Widely available across North America |
| Price Range | Premium, limited production pricing | Standard candy bar pricing |
| Nostalgia Appeal | High; discontinued and revived | High; century-old brand still in production |
How Did Sky Bar Candy Get Its Name?
The naming convention behind Sky Bar is rather unique and interesting. They didn’t choose the name because of a characteristic of the candy bar, or anything that really had to do with the candy bar itself. Instead, they went with a popular theme of the time – flying.
This was in an era when flight and planes were becoming increasingly popular. It was a subject that caught the attention and it worked in their favor to use sky and flight themed, as well as sky advertising for their initial product kickoff.
The excitement of flight topics paired with the excitement of a new and innovative candy bar quickly equaled success for the candy bar. The name Sky Bar simply comes from wanting a flight theme and taking to the sky for their initial advertising choices.
Logo
Flavors
While the Sky Bar Candy Bar has been made up of different flavors through the years, they have primarily only offered one candy bar at a time. The only exception is in 2009 when they had a specialty offering available. This candy bar has always been advertised as four candy bars in one.
The original flavor included toffee, nougat, nut butter toffee, and fudge as the fillings that were inside of the milk chocolate. One candy bar had each of these fillings inside a chunk of the bar. In 1955, the flavors were described as English toffee, honey nougat, peanut whip, and fudge parfait. In 2001, there was a change to the original and the flavors became caramel, vanilla, peanut (nougat), and fudge fillings, all coated inside of milk chocolate.
These have remained the steadfast flavors since that day. The company did have a specialty flavor on the market in 2009. This flavor came out at the same time as a popular movie so the release squared up together and brought a lot of interest. That specialty bar just had three flavors, which were caramel, crème, and peanut butter.
There are rumors that at one time, they also had a heart-shaped candy bar with only a crème filling, but this remains unverified at this time.
While the flavors are no longer the original, they have always remained similar to the originals, with just minor adjustments to tweak the bar. It remains just as tasty and delightful as the original bars were.
Ingredients
- Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Whole Milk Powder, Soy Lecithin [an Emulsifier}, Natural Flavor)
- Corn Syrup
- Sweetened Condensed Skim Milk (Condensed Skim Milk, Sugar)
- Invert Sugar
- Sugar
- Coconut Oil
- Dry Roasted Peanuts
- Honey
- Butter
- Salt
- Natural and Artificial Flavors
- Dried Egg Whites and Salt.
Nutrition
| Serving Size: | 1 bar (42 g) | % Daily Values* |
| Amount Per Serving | ||
| Calories | 200 | |
| Total Fat | 9g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | |
| Cholesterol | 5mg | 2% |
| Sodium | 50mg | 2% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 30g | 11% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g | 0% |
| Sugars | 27g | |
| Protein | 2g | |
| Vitamin D | 0% | |
| Calcium | 0% | |
| Iron | 0% | |
| Potassium | 0% |
- The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Pictures
Conclusion
While Sky Bar Candy today is not exactly the same as the Sky Bar candy that was released in 1938, it still holds the original innovation and design that made it such a popular choice. Where so many different candies died with NECCO in 2018, this one was brought back to life in just over a year’s time and it remains popular.
It is harder to find in stores, although you could come across it at a Cracker Barrel or similar store. But despite that, it is still available and you can get your hands on the bar. The new owners offer limited production, keeping Sky Bar candy available to fans just like you.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sky Bar Candy
What are the flavors inside a Sky Bar candy bar?
A Sky Bar candy bar contains four separate blocks, each with a different filling. The flavors are caramel, vanilla, peanut, and fudge. Every flavor block is covered in milk chocolate, giving you four distinct taste experiences in a single bar.
Who invented the Sky Bar candy bar?
The Sky Bar was created by a candy maker named Joseph Cangemi, who was working for NECCO at the time. He developed the concept of a chocolate bar with multiple uniquely flavored centers, which was innovative for its era.
Was the Sky Bar ever discontinued?
Yes, the Sky Bar was discontinued in 2018 when NECCO closed its doors. However, it made a comeback in late 2019 after Louise Mawhinney won a bid earning her the right to produce the bar, and it has been in limited production on the East Coast ever since.
How did the Sky Bar get its name?
The Sky Bar got its name from the popular fascination with flight and aviation that existed during the era of its creation. The founders chose a sky and flight theme to capture public excitement, and they even used skywriting as part of their initial advertising campaign, making the name a natural fit.
How was the Sky Bar originally advertised?
NECCO launched the Sky Bar with an eye-catching skywriting campaign that urged people to keep their eye on the sky, paired with a contest in The Boston Globe where participants completed a sentence for cash prizes. In 1945, the brand further cemented its presence by being one of only six illuminated signs in Times Square at the time.
Nice to hear the Sky Bar history. One aspect I never see described or photographed is that, at least in the 1950s Midwest, the Sky Bar had a different shape. Twice as wide, with more flavors. In one corner was a square filled with jelly.