Feb 8, 2010 6:07 pm US/Eastern
Necco Hearts' New Recipe Gets Mixed Reviews
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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The phrases have changed over the years from "be mine" and "you rock" to this year's high-tech additions, "tweet me" and "text me."
WBZ
Few things say Valentines Day like Sweetheart Candies made by New England Confectionery.
The Revere Necco factory will churn out 6.5 Billion of the little hearts this year. "We are the leading non-chocolate candy item for Valentines day," explained Necco Vice President Jackie Hague.
The phrases have changed over the years from "be mine" and "you rock" to this year's high-tech additions, "tweet me" and "text me."
The flavors, however, have remained virtually the same for 140 years, until now. "This year we changed the flavors to be bolder and brighter and more fruit-based," Hague explained.
So why would NECCO change the flavor of a candy that has been a favorite since Edison was working on the light bulb? According to Hague, the company received many requests to improve the flavor and this year they decided to go for it.
WBZ took them out for a test run, giving samples to people walking by on Copley Square. The results were mixed. Most people agreed the flavors were bolder. Some liked the change, and some didn't.
Our testers gave them much better reviews than some of the bloggers out there. One poster described the new flavor as horrible. Another said they tasted chalky. One person wondered if the company had learned anything from the
"New Coke debacle."
If you loved the old flavors, all is not lost. "We are producing both recipes this year," Hague said. "The old flavors and the new (are) all produced simultaneously and we alternate by week."
But you'll have to hunt for the classic hearts because they are only being sold in dollar stores. The new hearts don't indicate that they are flavored differently, but you can tell them apart from the packaging. The new hearts come in a white box; the traditional flavor comes in a darker box with a clear plastic window.
Hague told WBZ she is confident people will love the new flavors and Necco encourages consumer feedback. "We'd love to hear what consumers think about it because we want to know how they feel about the product," she said.
Hague says the company won't know if they have a hit or a miss until well after the holiday.
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