Comments on: Retro Candy Flashback: Sixlets

By: lionsden0371

lionsden0371 — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 20:45:33 +0000

Yep, I bought scads of those little “six packs” @ $0.01 each! Didn’t know they mixed carob and chocolate but really liked them better than m&m’s (not that I would turn down the m&m’s!).

By: gr8fzy1

gr8fzy1 — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 21:34:12 +0000

mmmm, I was so happy when I found a dollar store near my house that sold these things in boxes like Snowcaps (Another of my faves). Hundreds of sixlets for a buck!

By: andi

andi — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 07:44:43 +0000

The only answer I’ve come across as far as the name dilemma is concerned is that they originally came in six oz. packages.

By: LMBJ

LMBJ — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:24:05 +0000

So, there’s no real big mystery about the SIXLETS? Dang!!!!! that’s a bummer, I was really going to do some serious reseach on their origin. DANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: Julie Nicolay

Julie Nicolay — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 06:41:30 +0000

A quick entry of “sixlets history” on Google resulted in the following info about the infamous Sixlets ingredients and history of their name:

1. From Wikipedia: “Sixlets are a small, round candy-coated chocolate-flavored candy. The chocolate centers are made from a mixture of cocoa and carob, giving them a “malted” taste. They are usually sold in thin cellophane packages that hold them in a tube-like formation. The ball-shaped candies come in a number of colors, including red, brown, yellow, green, and orange. An Easter variation of the candy adds white, pink, and blue pieces while removing brown ones from the mix.

A package of Sixlets will melt if kept in a pocket for extended periods of time. Some prefer a slightly melted sixlet. Different colors have a slightly different taste from one another, due to their candy coated shells. For example, the orange-colored ones taste like orange chocolate.

In 2003, Hershey Foods Corporation sold their rights to the Sixlets brand name to SweetWorks, Inc.¹

On some variations of the Sixlets package there is a web address (www.sixlets.com). This address does not exist on the web. However, at one time, the site did redirect to SweetWorks’ webpage: http://www.sweetworks.net.” (That website gives no history of the candy at all).

2. From http://www.oldtimecandy.com (who advertise on candyaddict, on the left side of the page): “We have been told that they are called Sixlets because originally they came six to a package.”

3. From The Board (a website that answers any and all kinds of questions): “Sixlets got their name because they were originally sold six for a penny. They’re now up to $60 for a 24 pound case.” (Prices in 2002; oldtimecandy sells a box of 48 tubes with 20 pieces per tube for a mere $8.99 today).

There were a few other small references, though nothing resulting in an “official” history of the naming of Sixlets. I’m betting it was (as I recall from my childhood of penny candy purchases, carefully orchestrated to get the most candy for my money – no different from my purchases today for the most part) due to the fact that yes, there were six candies in a small cellophane tube for a penny. What a deal; I remember them well! I never knew they made them with carob, but I always wondered why they didn’t taste like other chocolate candies.

So there ya go, people, wonder no more! Sixlets were originally six in a pack. Simple, eh? Makes sense to me!

By: Joey

Joey — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 04:21:24 +0000

is the circumference of a sixlet the same in the small, clear tubular packages as it is in the large yellow boxes. I may be completely delusional, but it seems to me this is the case.

By: Black Chuckles

Black Chuckles — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:43:08 +0000

First of all, Let me say I used to love Sixlets. However, although I still like them, I would never choose them over any variety of M&M other than plain. These tasty little balls of off-colored goodness have changed as of late and are now covered in what tastes exactly like the popular vending candy Runts. The inside is still the same gritty, slightly malted milk ball flavored waxy “chocolate” everyone remembers, but the new fake fruit flavored candy coating has tainted these tiny gems in my opinion. Hope it’s just a phase. Anyone remember Delpha Rolls? Stale flat red licorice rolled up like caps for a cap gun?

By: Candy Addict » Who Put The “Six” in Sixlets?

Candy Addict » Who Put The “Six” in Sixlets? — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 19:50:12 +0000

[...] As I was enjoying the tiny chocolate essence of Sixlets one day (see our Sixlets Flashback for more Sixlets info), I wondered how Sixlets got their name. I counted the colors… Orange, yellow, green, brown, and red. That’s five… I counted the candies in the package. More than six. I counted the ingredients. More than six. I looked over the nutrition facts. Not a “6″ in sight. Why on Earth are these candies called Sixlets? For some reason I can’t explain, I felt compelled to know. [...]

By: Diane

Diane — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 18:34:12 +0000

As I recall, the Sixlets were made with CAROB, not chocolate. I used to munch them on occasion and thought they were good. But they weren’t chocolate. :)

By: Karen

Karen — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 18:33:04 +0000

Isn’t this great that all these people want to know the story behind the name sixlets? If nothing else whoever created it found a great marketing name, a name people remember, even ruminate about, seek out. Wow! And the media touts Coca Cola’s marketing genius.

What candy company makes or made Sixlets? Usually the company has the story behind the name. I know a person who worked for Hershey Candy Company and was involved in developing the name and marketing for KitKat.

Age? I also remember sixlets sold in the penny candy group at the candy store in my little community of Quiet Dell W. Va. So I think that sounds like sixlets may be older than m&m’s. Another question from a trivia buff.