Radz is all about making candy fun, and a big part of that is our collection of colorful Radz characters. Meet Twig, Scorch, Antic, Max and Bubbs!

They’ve each got their own personalities (and their own Pinterest boards). We like to think of them as your typical group of friends, each with their own passions and quirks.

We’ve got Twig, the outdoorsman.

And Scorch, the extreme sports loving “bro.”

There’s Antic, the prankster of the group.

Max is the traveler, ever on the go.

And finally, there’s Bubbs, the loyal buddy always ready to lend a hand.

We’ve taken a lot of care getting to know our characters (and yes, we can even tell you who’s frenemies with who) and we’re very excited to share them with the world through our candy dispensers (available soon at CandyFavorites!) and our fun, free online entertainment portal. But we also know we’re hardly the first to figure out that tasty candy and fun characters make an awesome duo.

So, in the spirit of CandyFavorites, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at some other candy characters and mascots that have appeared over the years.

Choo Choo Charlie was the face of Good & Plenty starting in 1950.

He may not be around anymore, but many fans still remember how much Charlie loved trains and his Good & Plenty!  Check out one of Charlie’s commercial’s here.

M&Ms have been around since the 40s, but it wasn’t until 1954 that the characters Red and Yellow made their debut. Remember these guys?

The characters got an overhaul in the mid-90s, when a computer animated Red and Yellow began appearing in TV commercials, soon be followed by Blue, Ms. Green, Orange, and the recently introduced newest member of the M&M bunch, Ms. Brown.

The Dum Dums Drum man was developed for Spangler Candy in 1966.

Wally Warhead burst onto the sour candy scene in the 1980s with his signature puckered lips.

And Mr. Jelly Belly first appeared in 1996.

Did we miss your favorite candy character or mascot?  Let us know in the comments! And come check us out and learn more about the Radz characters at candyfavorites.com and radzworld.com!

Brach’s Neapolitan Coconut Sundaes are classic candies that imitate a Neapolitan ice cream sundae. They were among the original candies offered by Brach’s, and have always been made from real coconut.

We’re sad to report that Brach’s Neapolitan Coconut Sundaes will be discontinued in June of 2012. We’ve got them in stock (and on sale!) so if these are your kryptonite, it’s time to place your order, warm up your time machine, and send some to your future self.

Outsmart Those Neapolitan Nabbers

Sure, some people just like coconut. But others among us have more important reasons for loving Brach’s Neapolitan Coconut Sundaes.

You know how it goes. You nab a carton of neapolitan ice cream to enjoy the trifecta of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors. Then while you slave away at work, your deadbeat roommate (or son, or husband) sneaks a scoop every few hours. Come quitting time, you wipe your brow and head home to the only reward that can lift your weary spirits. You open your freezer, lift the lid off the carton, and wail in disgust. Some nasty Neapolitan nabber has eaten all of one flavor.

Don’t let it happen to you! Brach’s Neapolitan Coconut Sundaes are the only sure way to experience the trio of Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry — any time, anywhere, without a spoon.

Stock Up for Posterity

Finding these is about to go from difficult to impossible. So stock up now and hide them well. The only problem you’ll have then will be deciding whether to eat one flavor at a time or bite across the strips of color.

We’re very excited to be teaming up with St. Martin’s Press and author Kate Hopkins to bring you this contest.

Sweet Tooth: The Bittersweet History of Candy is Hopkins’ new book that asks grown-up questions about some of our most established childhood favorites. In a conflicted moment, Kate Hopkins found herself unable to enjoy her candy-fueled memories. They were too clouded with fears like cavities and cholesterol. So she decided to get really indulgent and focus in on candy for years of her life. Sweet Tooth is the fascinating result.

This isn’t your typical candy book. Sweet Tooth reveals the unexpected, even dark reality behind our favorite candies. It also chronicles the evolution of candy on its journey through the centuries and around the world. It’s a ride through the forgotten (or hidden) history of candy, written in a style that’s as fun as its subject matter.

We All Have a Candy Story: Share Yours

We all write our own candy stories in the form of nostalgic anecdotes. It’s only human to assign meaning to the flavors that were present during our most treasured formative moments. Well, you know how much we at CandyFavorites.com like to hear about candy stories. It might be our favorite thing.

So we’re giving away 5 copies of Sweet Tooth, signed by Kate Hopkins. One lucky winner will receive 5 pounds of our Penny Candy Americana Mix, filled with retro candies like Mary Janes, Chick O Sticks, Caramel Creams, Tootsie Rolls, and more.

To enter, just write your candy story in the comments. What’s the most meaningful candy in your life? What memories does it bring back for you? Six winners will be drawn from all those who submit a story. We’ll announce the winners June 27th.

Our latest guest writer deserves a grander-than-usual introduction. Kate Hopkins is the celebrated author of the book Sweet Tooth: The Bittersweet History of Candy, released this year by St. Martin’s Press. A few weeks back, we asked her to write a bit about her new book, as well as share her perspective on candy. Never one to miss a chance to talk about candy, she took us up on the offer.

There is a “thing” about candy which most of us fans are aware of, but to which we rarely put words. In the course of my travels in writing the book, I believe that I’ve been able to come up with some of the reasons why confections resonate with us.

For one, it is, at its heart, a treat. There’s no nutritional value of note for the regular consumption of candy, making it one of the few foods out there that makes it an affordable luxury item. When we look at candy, we’re not thinking “I was thinking I needed to get my daily allowance of carbohydrates and Antioxidants.” No, we’re thinking “Oooo…caramel with marshmallow! I need to have some of that!”

And for those brief few minutes that we consume the candy, we’re separated from the moment. Whatever stresses we may have had, whatever worries we may have been carrying with us, are temporarily put aside. Yes, life may be difficult, but it’s made less so knowing that there’s chocolate- coated peanut butter out there.

Secondly, it’s nostalgic. While scientists may focus on the components of the candy bar, they ignore what are not there – the memories that come with them. Every fan of candy that I’ve talked with has a story that transports them to their youth, whether it’s the piece of candy that their grandfather would “sneak” to them, or the baseball coach who gave little leaguers Bazooka Joe before taking the playing field,  everyone who loves candy has a memory surrounding it that they treasure. Nostalgia is a powerful motivator, and a romantic one at that.  Eating candy is its own time machine, transporting us back, however briefly, to when we were seven years old, and nothing was more important that the day we had a dollar in our pocket and the permission to buy our own treat.

A few years ago, we were disappointed to learn that Fudgie Wudgie fudge would no longer be available. This line of creamy, decadent fudge had been a huge hit with our customers for as long as we’d been able to offer it.

Well, the good times are back again. We’re delighted to announce that Fudgie Wudgie Fudge is again available at CandyFavorites.com! The company is under new management, and their fudge is better than ever.

High Quality Small-Batch Fudge

Fudge Wudgie Fudge is manufactured in Pittsburgh, PA, and made to order using the finest all-natural ingredients.  The best part is that we get shipments on an “as needed” basis, allowing us to ship the freshest fudge directly to your door!

Fudgie Wudgie has been hand crafting premium fudge and chocolate since 1983. They prepare their recipes from scratch, using the freshest cream and butter from local creameries and ingredients that are not overly processed.

Order Online Today!

Click on the Fudgie Wudgie logo at the top of the page and browse our selection. It includes their best-selling flavors, as well as treats for those with the most discerning tastes. All varieties of Fudgie Wudgie Fudge ship in a solid one-pound block and are packaged in a beautiful gift box perfect for giving.

Every once in a while, we get the opportunity to share something especially great with our customers. Sure, we hook people up with their favorite candies and help them relive childhood moments of sugary bliss. And we get to surprise both kids and adults with prizes in our candy contests. But none of that compares with our one-of-a-kind promotions.

Passing on the Savings

This week (the first week of May, 2012), we get to extend something really special to our loyal customers and all the Brach’s enthusiasts out there — a Brach’s event. We’ve received a huge shipment of Brach’s candies and lowered all our prices to pass the savings on to you.

For a limited time only — while supplies last — you can enjoy the lowest prices ever on classic Brach’s products. Check them out >

We Go Way Back with Brach’s

We’ve always celebrated our long-standing relationship with Brach’s. We began offering Brach’s products in 1929, and we were one of the first candy wholesalers to offer Brach’s famed Pick-A-Mix Candy. Our company even shared our sugar rations with Brach’s during World War II to keep the candy coming!

We were the first online retailer of many Brach’s products, and we continue to offer Butterscotch Disks, Caramel Squares, Ice Blue Mint Coolers, Chocolate Stars, beloved Jelly Nougats, and many more of your all-time favorites.

Thanks to everyone for sharing your memories! Since nostalgic retro candy is one of our favorite topics, this was a particularly fun contest. We hope that you’ll share your candy anecdotes with us any time they cross your mind. But now that the deadline for submissions has passed, it’s time to announce some winners. So without further ado…

The winners of the Earth Day Candy Giveaway are:

Nicole (who misses Peanut Butter Bars)
Katherine (who loves tiny Chiclets)

Winners will be notified by email or personal Facebook message, depending on how they submitted their entries. (Nicole and Katherine, watch for a message from Jessica!)

Some things we learned:

• Seasonal candy is great for building memories.
• Changing the classic formula of a candy is probably worse than just discontinuing it.
• Many people would rather pay more for their favorite candies than see them disappear.
• Brach’s Candy has brought a lot of people a lot of happiness — but also some heartache.
• Many of the candies believed to be extinct are still available! Check out our Retro Candy section
  before you give up the search for your favorite vintage candies.

Earth Day is all about saving, and we think it’s important to save your favorite candies from extinction. Over the years, so many delicious, ingenious candies have gone the way of the dinosaurs. We can’t take our favorite candy for granted, or we may never see it again.

In the spirit of conservation, we’re giving away some great nostalgic candy prizes. It’s our way of spreading the love of retro candies and making sure that future generations get to enjoy the same flavors we savor today.

To enter, share your favorite memory of an already extinct candy. Or tell us about the candy you believe should be saved for posterity. Just leave your story in the comments on this post to enter. We’ll announce the winners early next week!

Don’t forget to do your part for the planet. Buy online to save gas. And always dispose of your wrappers responsibly.

Easter is over and Spring has sprung. That means that Mother’s Day is right around the corner. To give you a better option than sending just a card, we’ve created a whole new Mother’s Day Category on the CandyFavorites.com website. This section is full of ready-to-send gift boxes and classic favorites. But since every product in our store is someone’s favorite, you might find more dazzling treats the longer you browse.

Candy Gifts Make Great Surprises

We all love surprises. And every girl who goes the distance for her loved ones deserves to be acknowledged. Mother’s Day is our chance to put a smile on the face of any woman who makes our lives a little better. The best gifts are those that are totally unexpected.

So get creative and go the extra mile this year. Help your sister stock up on the candies she keeps around the house. Shock your secretary with some unforeseen appreciation. Or get nostalgic with your grandmother over an assortment of candies from her favorite decade.

Make it Personal

At Candy Favorites, we get to make people happy every day by delivering the favorite candies that brighten their days. Special occasions let you join in the fun.

To help make your candy gifts a little more special, we offer gift wrapping and the opportunity to include a personal message. Just check these options when you check out to include them in your order. After all, it would be a shame not to get credit for your thoughtful deeds.

In the Spring of 2012, Pinterest is the place to be. If you’re already hooked, you totally get it. If not, it’s worth checking out. Don’t worry — you don’t have to have an account to look around. Since Candy Favorites is in the business of things that are irresistible, we just couldn’t resist.

Pinterest is a wonderful place where you can lose yourself in an ocean of beautiful and inspiring images. It’s a refreshing new form of social interaction, and people are flocking to it in droves. Some have called it the future of search, a place where you can find what you’re looking for just by browsing images.

How it Works

Pinterest very simply describes itself as a virtual pinboard. Its value goes far beyond that, though. First off, the way you use the site is to “pin” images from around the Internet to one of your pinboards. Images can come from websites or your computer, or you can “repin” other people’s pins. You can have an unlimited number of pinboards, so you’re free to make them very specific. Since most images are linked to much more content, it’s a great way to simply organize complex ideas. So you can keep a pinboard full of beautiful foods, then click through to the recipes when you’re ready to get cooking.

How We’re Using It

With 3,000 candies in our warehouse, we have plenty of great-looking treats to share. So we’ve organized our boards in a way that we hope will help people create wonderful things. There are galleries for Candy by Color, which can be used to plan themed events and candy bars. We’re posting candy craft ideas and recipes to make the most of your candy stash. In the future, we’ll be adding pinboards for each era in our Retro Candy by Decade section, as well as for special seasonal holiday candies. The possibilities are endless, and we plan to make full use of them.

We hope you’ll follow our pinboards and share your love of candy with others. We’re eager to see what you’re pinning, too!