--- title: 13 Most Influential Candy Bars of All Time description: We interviewed candy experts and historians to determine which bars made the biggest impact on the chocolate-bar industry—and the world at large. canonical: https://time.com/8195/13-most-influential-candy-bars-of-all-time/ author: Sarah Begley article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-02-18T12:30:48.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:38:15.812Z og:title: 13 Most Influential Candy Bars of All Time og:description: We interviewed candy experts and historians to determine which bars made the biggest impact on the chocolate-bar industry—and the world at large. og:url: https://time.com/8195/13-most-influential-candy-bars-of-all-time/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 13 Most Influential Candy Bars of All Time twitter:description: We interviewed candy experts and historians to determine which bars made the biggest impact on the chocolate-bar industry—and the world at large. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # The 13 Most Influential Candy Bars of All Time > Sponsored content. 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It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters. #### How do I sign up for The Brief? The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ## Video: What's the Best Candy to Buy? Ask a Kid [Watch (HLS stream): What's the Best Candy to Buy? Ask a Kid](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/gtRgoaZO.m3u8) (3:32)  _Published 2014-10-24. MONEY asked kids which Halloween candies they love...and which they hate._ by [Sarah Begley](https://time.com/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Feb 18, 2014 12:30 PM UTC by [Sarah Begley](https://time.com/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Feb 18, 2014 12:30 PM UTC ### Wonka Bar  393743 02: A Wonka chocolate bar produced for the 30th anniversary of the film "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory" is on display August 27, 2001 at the Warner Bros. Studio Store in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Spencer Platt—Getty Images People were so enamored with the concept of this treat—as depicted in the 1964 Roald Dahl novel _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_—that Quaker Oats Company, which financed the 1971 film version, decided to make it a reality. The promotional stunt—which marked the first time a fictional candy bar had come to life—“was a big sensation at the time,” says candy historian [Darlene Lacey](http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Candy-Americas-Favorite-1950-80/dp/0747812438/ref=la%5FB00CTVALNY%5F1%5F1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392675341&sr=1-1), and the bars [remain popular today](https://www.google.com/search?q=wonka+bars&oq=wonka+bars&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i61j0l4.1213j0j4&sourceid=chrome&espvd=210&es%5Fsm=91&ie=UTF-8#q=wonka+bars&tbm=shop). ### Milky Way  Mars, Inc. When this bar debuted in 1923, it was the first to take inspiration from a real dessert: the milky way malted milkshake. (That’s right—it was not named after the galaxy.) Decades later, that same gimmick would spawn products like PowerBar’s Dulce de Leche-flavored snack and Kit Kat’s Strawberry Cheesecake bar in Japan. ### Baby Ruth  Nestlé When this bar launched in 1921, its makers claimed it was named after President Grover Cleveland’s daughter Ruth (who had died 17 years earlier at the age of 12). But at that time, the more obvious association was with new Yankees star Babe Ruth, making this the first candy bar to profit from the success of a public figure—even though he wasn’t being compensated. ### Nestlé Crunch  Nestlé Prior to this bar’s introduction in 1937, candy-bar fillings were somewhat rich: nuts, caramel, etc. By using dirt-cheap puffed rice, however, Nestle helped mainstream the notion that candy could be almost anything you put into chocolate—an idea that brought candy-bar prices down and spawned treats like Krackel and Thingamajig. ### Cadbury Milk Chocolate  Mondelēz International The Cadbury family’s idyllic factory village in Birmingham, England—where these bars were created in 1897—helped inspire Milton S. Hershey’s own facility in Pennsylvania. “It was a sort of social utopia,” explains Deborah Cadbury, a family descendant and author of [_Chocolate Wars_](http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Wars-150-Year-Rivalry-Greatest/dp/B005DI7V38). “The Cadbury brothers as Quakers were the first to really look after their employees and provide pensions and security of employment and a living wage.” Although the Cadburys no longer own the company, its influence still looms large: its Dairy Milk and 5-Star bars are some of the world’s best-selling confections. ### Scharffen Berger  Take your taste buds on an international tour with Scharffen Berger chocolate bars. (Bill Hogan/Chicago Tribune/MCT) Bill Hogan—Chicago Tribune/MCT/Getty Images The world’s first widely distributed “artisanal” chocolate bar, processed bean-to-bar with a preference for darker chocolate, launched in 1997, capitalizing on shifting tastes that demanded finer products made in smaller batches. Its success—Scharffen Berger was acquired by Hershey in 2005—“set the stage for the artisanal chocolate bar movement,” says [_Chocolate: The Sweet History_](http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Sweet-History-Beth-Kimmerle/dp/1933112042) author Beth Kimmerle, which spawned Mast Brothers’ [black truffle bars](http://www.shoppigment.com/mast-brothers-black-truffle-chocolate-bar/), Vosges’ [bacon chocolate bars](http://www.worldmarket.com/product/vosges-mos-bacon-chocolate-bar.do?camp=ppc%3AGooglePLA%3Anone%3A40004149859adwords%5FgroupingCandy%5Fand%5FChocolate&device=c&network=g&matchtype=&gclid=CLHzpP2m1LwCFSZp7AodLy0A4A) and more. ### Grenada Chocolate  The Grenada Chocolate Company Because chocolate bars are produced mostly in Europe and North America, the farmers that made them possible—by growing cacao in tropical climates—don’t get to reap the full rewards. Grenada Chocolate, founded in 1999 by an American ex-pat, aims to buck that trend: its cocoa beans are grown and processed into bars entirely within its home country, helping boost the economy and providing employment for locals. The model, described as “a true worker-owned co-operative” in the 2012 documentary [_Nothing Like Chocolate_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2224377/), has since been replicated by companies like Madécasse (in Madagascar) and Pacari (in Ecuador). ### Chicken Dinner  Wrapper scan for Candy Wrapper Museum Joe Lacey from the book Classic Candy This bar, which debuted in 1923, was the first chocolate bar to be marketed as nutritious; advertisements touted the nut-packed treats as “candy made good.” Though Sperry’s Chicken Dinner was discontinued in the 1960s, its success helped spawn the power bar industry, paving the way for brands like Clif and Luna, whose bars offer vitamins alongside hearty doses of chocolate, caramel and more. ### Snickers  Mars, Inc. More than 80 years after its launch in 1930, this Mars bar is world’s best-selling international confection. And although it may not have revolutionized candy-bar taste or distribution, it’s unparalleled at selling itself: its star-studded ad campaign “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” helped sales hit around $3.5 billion in 2012, outpacing M&Ms, Reeses and Kit Kat. Also, says Kimmerle, it helps that Snickers offers the holy trinity of confection: nougat, caramel and peanuts—coated in chocolate, of course. ### Nestlé Milk Chocolate  Photo of candy bar. Joe Lacey—candywrappermuseum.com Prior to this bar’s introduction in 1875, bar-form cocoa was bitter, chewy and dark. And chocolatiers couldn’t sweeten it with regular milk, as the liquid invited mildew growth. By adding the condensed milk pioneered by Henri Nestlé for infant formula, however, Swiss chocolatier Daniel Peter solved that problem—his product was smoother, sweeter and had a longer shelf life. That breakthrough paved the way for almost every modern-day chocolate bar, including Hershey’s, Lindt and Godiva. ### Toblerone  Mondelēz International This now-iconic triangular prism of chocolate, nougat, almonds and honey, which debuted in 1908, was the first flagship bar to debut with a filling, upending the traditional model. (That same year, Hershey’s launched a milk chocolate bar with almonds.) Today, Lacey calls the Swiss treat “a juggernaut in terms of the global candy market” and filling is standard in bars like Almond Joy, Mounds and Three Musketeers. ### Hershey’s Milk Chocolate  The Hershey Company Nestlé may have invented milk chocolate, but Hershey’s made it mainstream. By building his factory right in the middle of dairy land—and using local milk to amp up production volume—Milton Hershey powered an unparalleled distribution network, says [_Sweet Tooth_](http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Tooth-Bittersweet-History-Candy/dp/0312668104/ref=sr%5F1%5F1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392674841&sr=1-1&keywords=sweet+tooth+kate+hopkins) author Kate Hopkins, turning chocolate into an American obsession. Since its first bar debuted in 1900, Hershey’s has become one of the world’s most recognizable brands: its treats fed soldiers during World War II; its ad campaigns were revered; and now, there’s a $23.5 million museum dedicated to its legacy. ### Kit Kat  The Hershey Company Beyond being the first candy bar to be marketed around sharing, which helped turn chocolate into a social snack, Kit Kat was also the first to gain a global following. Whereas Hershey’s and Cadbury cornered different markets with similar products, the wafer-filled Kit Kats launched in both Europe and the U.S. before entering Australia, Asia and Africa—paving the way for other blockbuster bars like Snickers and Butterfinger. Decades later, Kit Kat remains a global obsession: last year, Google’s Android announced its new operating system would be called “KitKat,” and in January, Tokyo welcomed the first all-Kit Kat store, featuring flavors like edamame soy bean, purple sweet potato and wasabi. _Read next:_ [_Watch John Oliver’s Brilliant Takedown of the Sugar Industry_](http://time.com/3541173/john-oliver-sugar-industry-takedown/?xid=time%5Freadnext) ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] I want each of you. So reach for your favorite candy. So why do you like air heads. Because their like gummies but their just wider and a little more chewy. That their sticky and I like to get messy. They're sticky, sweet and tasty. What do you got there? Butterfinger. What do you, why do you like Butterfinger? Because it's crispy and it's crunchy and it's chocolatey and buttery. You like M & Ms but you don't like M & Ms? Yeah they seem a little hot. I want you to pick out a candy here that you would never ear. Woah. That's a trick. Everybody's pointing at Mounds there. I would never eat this. [ LAUGH ] Why don't, why don't you guys like Butterfinger? Well. Because they just don't taste good. Maybe it's too good or something. We do not like dried coconut. With dark chocolate. Yes. You don't like Mounds either? Yeah, but I wanna taste all of these ones. You have a blue tongue? If you, I said. You can't have that Butterfingers, but I'll give you two Skittles. Would you make the trade? Hm, maybe yes. How many Hershey's Kisses would you take for that Reese's? 1 million 529. Five million. A hundred and twenty five. [ LAUGH ] Nine million! What about Hershey's kisses? For when, how many Hershey's? Ten million! A hundred and twenty five. Would you take nine? You would? Okay, great. Oh my god. Well there is the tenth one here. Yeah well you already had one. Oh my god Zaya you have so much candy. It's no fair. Good. Are there any things here, you look at the candy and you say to yourself like no kid would like this candy? This is like candy for adults. [ UNKNOWN ] Aah. Oh, yeah. Pretty much this one. Coconut. Coconut. Josh, you seem really sure that like Mounds is meant for adults or something like that. Why? Because my Mom and Dad love them. And there aren't many stores that have them. And they're like an old candy. That the peppermint thing. Because number one adults love peppermint. Number two. I don't know. Okay, so tell me about each of those candies, what you like about each of them. I like this one because it's sticky also, sticky, sticky, sticky, and chocolate. This because it's chewy and sweet. [ MUSIC ] They're just sweet and tasty. And they make you feel relaxed. Why, why do you like Skittles? Because, I already told you, they're my favorite candy. 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