Candy has existed in one form or another for thousands of years. Ancient peoples enjoyed honey right out of the hive and later combined it with nuts and fruits to create tasty confectionary treats. Sweets were typically served at the end of a meal for dessert or were eaten as a snack. For most of its history, candy made from sugar was too expensive for commoners. It was a delicacy only the rich could afford.
After the Spanish rediscovered cacao, from which chocolate is made, in Mexico in 1519, the price of candy fell precipitously. By the 17th century, hard candy was wildly popular in North America and chocolate was all the rage in Europe. Large factories were suddenly springing up on both sides of the Atlantic. Though the chocolate bar was invented in England in 1847, it was popularized werbeartikel präsente by an American company at the dawn of the twentieth century.