Smarties (tablet candy) facts for kids
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| Type | Confectionery |
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| Owner | Smarties Candy Company |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1949 |
| Markets | Worldwide |
In the United States, Smarties are a popular type of candy. They are small, round tablets made by the Smarties Candy Company. This company has been making Smarties since 1949.
Smarties are made in factories in New Jersey and Ontario, Canada. In Canada, these candies are called Rockets. This is because another company, Nestlé, already sells a chocolate candy called Smarties there. The New Jersey factory alone makes about 1 billion rolls of Smarties every year! Overall, the company produces more than 2.5 billion rolls annually.
Each Smarties candy is a flat, round disc. It's about 1 centimeter (0.39 inches) wide and 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) thick. Some larger ones are about 2.5 centimeters (0.98 inches) wide. Smarties come in rolls with different colors like white, yellow, pink, orange, purple, and green. Each color has its own special flavor. A typical roll has 15 candies. Good news for many kids: Smarties are free of peanuts, gluten, fat, and dairy. They are also made without any animal products, which means they are vegan!
The Story of Smarties
After World War II, the Dee family had an idea. They bought machines that were used to make small pellets. They changed these machines to make candy instead! This is why Smarties look a bit like small pills. In the 1970s, the price of sugar went up a lot. So, the company switched from using regular sugar (sucrose) to a different type of sugar called dextrose.
In 2004, the company worked with "Rock The Vote." They made 500,000 special Smarties rolls with "Rock the Vote" on the wrapper. In 2011, the company changed its name to Smarties Candy Company. Later that year, they confirmed that Smarties are vegan.
How Smarties Are Made
The Smarties Candy Company has two factories. These factories make Smarties 24 hours a day, five days a week. That's a lot of candy! They produce over 70,000 pounds (about 32,000 kilograms) of Smarties every day. First, they mix all the dry ingredients together. Then, they press the mixture into small tablets. Finally, these tablets are stacked and rolled into the colorful Smarties wrappers.
What's Inside Smarties?
The main ingredient in Smarties candies is dextrose. They also contain citric acid, calcium stearate, natural and artificial flavors, and colors. One roll of Smarties has about 25 calories and 6.9 grams of sugar.
Smarties Flavors
Each package of Smarties has a mix of pastel colors. Each color has a different taste:
- White: orange cream
- Yellow: pineapple
- Pink: cherry
- Green: strawberry
- Purple: grape
- Orange: orange
The Smarties Candy Company also makes other fun varieties. These include "X-treme sour" and "tropical" Smarties. They even make Smarties lollipops in three different sizes. In 2015, they launched "Smarties 'n Creme." These are quarter-sized candies with Smarties flavor on one side and a creamy flavor on the other.
