Milk Duds facts for kids
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Chocolate covered Milk Duds
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| Type | Candy |
|---|---|
| Owner | Highlander Partners / Iconic IP Interests |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1928 |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners |
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| Tagline | Chocolatey, Caramely, and Rich with Milk Chewy. Not Gooey. |
Milk Duds are a popular candy that started way back in 1928. They are made with a chewy caramel center covered in a chocolatey coating.
These candies were first created by a company called Hoffman and Company in Chicago. Today, they are made by The Hershey Company, which you might know from other famous chocolates.
Milk Duds usually come in a bright yellow-orange box, often seen at movie theaters. Each candy is an unevenly shaped caramel piece with a sweet chocolate-like coating.
The name "Milk Duds" has a cool story! The "milk" part comes from the milk ingredients used when they were first made. The "dud" part is because the candy makers tried to make them perfectly round, but they couldn't. So, they called the imperfect shapes "duds," and the name stuck!
Contents
The Story of Milk Duds
How Milk Duds Got Their Name
In 1928, a company named Hoffman and Company in Chicago wanted to make a new candy. They tried to create a round caramel candy covered in chocolate. But no matter how hard they tried, the candies never came out perfectly round.
Because their attempts to make round candies didn't quite work, they called the candies "duds." This fun little problem led to the candy's unique name: "Milk Duds." Later that same year, a person named Holloway took over the company and continued making Milk Duds.
Who Owned Milk Duds?
Over the years, Milk Duds have been owned by a few different companies.
- In 1960, Holloway sold his company to Beatrice Foods.
- Then, in 1986, a company called Leaf bought the Milk Duds business.
- In 1992, the place where Milk Duds were made moved to Leaf Candy Company's factory in Robinson, Illinois.
- Finally, in 1996, Hershey Foods Corporation bought Leaf's candy operations in North America. This is how Hershey's started making Milk Duds.
Modern Changes
In 2018, the ownership of Milk Duds changed again. A company called Highlander Partners bought the brand. They now let Hershey's continue to make and sell the candy.
In 2022, Milk Duds launched a new way to connect with fans online. Their official website became a small window to view their social media pages.
What Are Milk Duds Made Of?
Changes to the Recipe
Around 2008, The Hershey Company made a change to the Milk Duds recipe. They stopped using cocoa butter, which is a more expensive ingredient. Instead, they started using other, less costly oils. This helped them keep the price of Milk Duds the same.
Because of this change, the rules about food labels in the United States meant they couldn't call the coating "milk chocolate" anymore. Now, the candy is described as "chocolate candy" or "candy made with chocolate and caramel." This tells you that the chocolatey coating is not exactly milk chocolate.
Current Ingredients
Here are some of the main ingredients you'll find in Milk Duds today:
- Corn Syrup
- Sugar
- Different kinds of vegetable oils, like:
- Palm Oil
- Shea Oil
- Sunflower Oil
- Palm Kernel Oil
- Safflower Oil
- Dextrose
- Nonfat Milk
- Reduced Protein Whey
- Chocolate
- And a small amount of other ingredients, including:
- Brown sugar
- Mono and Diglycerides
- Whey
- Baking Soda
- Confectioner’s Glaze
- Salt
- Tapioca Dextrin
- Lecithin
- Vanillin (which is an artificial flavor)
See also
