Bit-O-Honey

Six times the candy
Goes six times as far
Six times the flavor
In a Bit-O-Honey Bar

Chicago has long held a reputation as the candy capitol of the United States. And, in 1924, the Schutter-Johnson Company launched a unique new chew to the windy city, one that would delight children and dentists alike. Christened as the Bit-O-Honey, it was guaranteed to give a kid’s jaw muscles a workout like no other.

Bit-O-Honey was comprised of six bite size morsels of thick, honey-flavored taffy, accented with tiny chunks of almond. The six portions were held together into a loose bar shape by two sheets of wax paper, surrounded in a colorful wrapper. The confection was an overnight success, a candy bar that could easily be divided into equal portions for sharing, or for portioning out to be eaten over the course of a day. Party bags of individually wrapped pieces also became a sweet success, particularly at Halloween.

Schutter-Johnson were bought out by Nestlé USA in 1984 and they have kept Bit-O-Honey buzzing as an active brand ever since. The old red and yellow wrapper, decorated with a stylized flower, eventually gave way to a new design, featuring a cartoon bee (a little fellow that looks remarkably like a cousin of the Honey-Nut Cheerios bee.)

Bit-O-Honey remains a favorite alternative as popular confections go – that rare candy that isn’t in the chocolate, mint or fruit flavored categories. If you love the taste of honey, nothing satisfies like a Bit-O-Honey. Your jaw is certain to give out long before the flavor does.

If you have fond memories of gnawing on these tasty confections back in the day, we welcome all of your thoughts and recollections in our comments section, as we tip our hats to a confection that is decidedly different, and oh so yummy.