They’re back! Necco Wafers will be in stores this summer

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An old favorite sweet treat is coming back this summer to a store near you.

Spangler Candy announced recently that it will be bringing Necco Wafers back after a two-year absence. The national roll out begins with major drugstores and some grocery stores, and then into a larger segment of retailers across the country.

In Vicksburg and Warren County, you’ll be able to find Necco Wafers soon at Big Lots, Cracker Barrel, CVS, Kroger and Walgreens. The drugstores will have them in June and other stores in July. (See the whole list here.)

The original recipe for the Necco Wafer has remained essentially unchanged since 1847, the company says.

The eight all-time favorite flavors and colors are returning including lemon (yellow), lime (green), orange (orange), clove (light purple), cinnamon (white), wintergreen (pink), licorice (dark grey) and chocolate (brown). Seven of the eight flavors were designed to identically match the originals. Necco wafers connoisseurs may detect a richer cocoa flavor in the chocolate wafers due to a minor improvement made in the cooking process.

From the time of their creation, Necco Wafers have been enjoyed all over the world. Soldiers carried them during the Civil War. In 1913, explorer Donald MacMillan took Necco Wafers on his Arctic explorations, sharing them with Eskimo children.

Later in the 1930s, two and a half tons of Necco Wafers were taken on an expedition to the South Pole, which amounted to about a pound a week for each person during their two-year stay.

During World War II, the U.S. Government requisitioned a major portion of the production of Necco Wafers. The candy was perfect for shipping to troops overseas because it doesn’t melt and is very portable.

Necco Wafers have stood the test of time. New fans will discover their sweetness while longtime fans will relish the feelings of nostalgia that come with unwrapping and savoring each wafer.