Candy, classic Halloween treats

After the costumes are stored away and the jack-o-lanterns have been tossed in the garbage, one of the remaining aspects of Halloween affects the sweet tooth - candy.

Traditional Halloween candies are Brach's Candy Corn and Pumpkins, Necco's Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses and various holiday renditions of regular candies such as M&M's, Reese's and Kit Kat bars which change either shape or color.

Charles Holmes, co-manager at Murray Wal-Mart and Murray State alumnus, said the top-selling seasonal candies are candy corn, peanut butter kisses and the pumpkin-shaped peanut butter cups.

"It seems like the peanut butter is different than it is in the regular Reese's cups," he said.

He said sales increase for Kraft caramels and red hots because people make caramel apples and put the red hots in hot apple cider.

"Usually if people buy (candy) early they will eat it before the kids get there," Holmes said. "People are waiting for the last minute for everything."

He said he is expecting a rush of customers tonight who have waited to purchase trick-or-treat candy.

"In most candy, people are being more health-oriented in cutting calories and low carbs," he said.

Holmes said that is a trend he has noticed in Wal-Mart's candy along with the expected trend in black and orange wrappers for Halloween candies.

He said the process Wal-Mart uses to select the quantity of each type of candy to sell involves the vendors meeting with the corporate buyers to discuss new candies.

"We look at what we've sold in previous years and then buy accordingly to what we sold," Holmes said.

Wal-Mart will host an event called Falloween Saturday night from 6 to 8 where games will be set up and candy will be given to children inside the store, he said.

Melody Townsel, spokesperson for Brach's, said this year is the company's 100th anniversary, and it is the nation's No. 1 maker of candy corn. She said Brach's sold 2 billion kernels of candy corn this Halloween holiday.

"Candy corn is such a nostalgic candy, and anything that brings back memories to a better, simpler time is popular," she said. "This is a banner sales year and our candy corn sales have gone up 22 percent."

She said candy corn was first introduced in the 1800s, and at that time it was considered a novelty. She said the reason candy corn is still a classic Halloween candy is because of its colors and the feelings it evokes.

"The colors are harvest colors and the connotation of colors provides a harvest feel," she said. "The very people who say they don't like (candy corn), our studies show they really do eat it."

Townsel said another top-selling Brach's Halloween candy is Dem Bones, a candy skeleton.

"They are really cute candies and are fairly popular," she said.

She said Brach's primary selling target is mothers, instead of children because the mothers will introduce the candy to their children.

"That's a lot of generations of pirates, princesses and pooh bears we've been helping have a good time at Halloween," Townsel said.

Lory Zimbalatti, marketing manager of Necco candy company, said the Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses are the most popular Halloween candy Necco sells.

Other big sellers are the Necco Junior Wafer Rolls and the Clark Bar Juniors, she said.

"(A piece of Mary Jane candy) is a soft, chewy piece and peanut butter is one of the most popular flavors and it also has a touch of molasses that gives it a creamy taste," Zimbalatti said.

She said Mary Jane candy dates back to 1914, and the creator named it after his aunt Mary Jane.

"Mary Janes tend to sell themselves," she said. "The orange and black wrapped peanut butter kisses have become such a traditional Halloween candy. ...Everyone remembers them (from) when they were young."

Meagan Hensley, freshman from Frankfort, said anything chocolate is her favorite Halloween candy.

"I'm especially a fan of Reese's cups," she said.

She said she remembers separating all of her candy when she went trick-or-treating into piles of what she considered the "good stuff and bad stuff."

"I always picked Mary Janes out because they looked really weird next to all of the other colorful candies," Hensley said. "You can't really eat too much candy corn because it makes you sick."

She said candy corn is a seasonal treat like candy canes are at Christmas because it is a staple of the holiday season.

"You really don't even have to like (candy corn)," Hensley said.

Amelia Odenwald, freshman from Lexington, said Pixie Stix are her favorite Halloween sweet because they are tangy, sour and sweet at the same time.

She said candy corn is a classic Halloween candy because the ingredients for the confectionary concoction are so basic.

Said Odenwald: "(Candy corn) is like a celebration of autumn."