Canadian And UK Smarties Are Way Different From The Candy Americans Know
Some candies have a quaint, old-fashioned air that takes you back to the days of general stores and simple living. This is definitely the case with Smarties, the slightly tangy sugar wafer treat that comes in six flavors, including grape, orange, pineapple, cherry, orange cream, and strawberry. Smarties are the product of Ce De Candy, Inc., which first got its start in 1949. After many years of success, the company rebranded and changed its name to Smarties Candy Company, in honor of its most popular confection.
While Smarties are very well known in the U.S., the name means something very different in other places. In fact, Smarties in the U.K. and Canada are a far cry from the treat so many people know and love in this country. These differences can lead to a bit of confusion, especially if you're visiting another nation and feel the urge to get a sugar fix in the form of Smarties. In this case, you may end up with a completely different candy than you were expecting.
Not the Smarties you were thinking of
Smarties Candy Company does sell its famous sugar wafers in Canada, except they're known as Rockets in the Great White North. That's because the name Smarties refers to a completely different treat in Canada, as well as the U.K. British candy maker Rowntrees developed small bites of chocolate covered in candy in 1882, which were called Chocolate Beans (similar to M&M's). Due to concerns about confusion among Canadian candy lovers, Rowntrees replaced the name Chocolate Beans with Smarties in 1937. Nestle eventually took over production of Smarties in 1988 and continues producing the candy to this day.
To spare you a bit of confusion, remember: Smarties in the U.K. and Canada contain chocolate, while the U.S. version does not. U.S. Smarties are small, disk-like sugar wafers, while Nestle Smarties in the U.K. and Canada resemble M&M's. If you want to enjoy American-style Smarties in Canada, look for Rockets. If you get a craving for them in the U.K., confectioner Swizzels Matlow sells a very similar candy product called Fizzers. However, if you want to sample Nestle Smarties in America, you're out of luck. Just add it to the long list of tasty candies that are not available in this country.
Other candy you can't find in America
There are lots of massively popular candy brands all over the world that have never made their way to the U.S. Candiflor, a French brand, is one of many manufacturers of violettes, which contains actual sugar-coated flowers. However, Americans can enjoy a similar candy from Chowards in the form of violet mints, which offer the same floral taste and aroma without the inclusion of actual flowers.
If chocolate is more your thing, Mozartkugeln is the selection for you. This treat originated in Salzburg, Austria in honor of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (which is why the candy was formerly known as a Mozart-Bonbon). Mozart's namesake candy is a real decadent delight, with ingredients like marzipan, nougat, and roasted chocolate. Chocolate lovers can also look to Japan for a wide selection of KitKat flavors, such as green tea, strawberry, and even soy sauce. These candies show that America is often behind the times when it comes to confectionery innovation.