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Cherry Blossom (candy)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the candy. For other uses, see Cherry Blossom (disambiguation).
Cherry Blossom
Product typeBonbon
OwnerHershey
Produced byHershey (2008-2025)
CountryCanada
Introduced1890s
Previous ownersLowney Company

Cherry Blossom is a type of chocolate confection[1] produced by Hershey Canada. It was announced as discontinued in 2025.

Overview

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The Cherry Blossom consists of a maraschino cherry and cherry syrup surrounded by a mixture of chocolate, shredded coconut and roasted peanut pieces. Cherry Blossoms are packaged in yellow boxes.[2] Contrary to common myth, filling is not injected inside the chocolate. The cherry candy is coated with an enzyme, invertase, that breaks down the solid into a liquid over the next 1 to 2 weeks.[3]

History

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The candy had been manufactured since the 1890s by the Walter M. Lowney Company of Canada. A prominent man in Mansfield, Massachusetts, Lowney opened and operated his candy factory in the city, being also involved in the development of other interests in the city. In the mid 1890s a subsidiary of Lowney Co. was opened in Canada. The company continued to grow and so did the Cherry Blossom.[4]

The Walter M. Lowney Company of Canada was later acquired by Standard Brands in 1968, and Lowney became a division of Standard Brands.[5] In 1981, Nabisco and Standard Brands Ltd merged to form a new entity, which now owned the Lowney division.[6] Finally, Hershey Canada purchased the candy unit of Nabisco in 1987, which included Lowney.[7][8]

The Lowney manufacturing plant resided in the city of Sherbrooke Quebec up until 1989, at which time it was closed, and all Lowney chocolate manufacturing was moved to an existing Hershey plant in Smiths Falls, Ontario.[9] The facility in Smiths Falls, northeast of Kingston, later closed in 2012.[10][4] In January 2025, Hershey announced that Cherry Blossoms will be discontinued.[11] Shortly afterwards, some grocery stores reported a noticeable increase in sales of the product.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Broekel, R. (1985). The Chocolate Chronicles. Wallace-Homestead Book Co. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-87069-431-8. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  2. ^ Benchetrit, Jenna. "Hershey Canada sending Cherry Blossom to the chocolate graveyard". CBC News. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  3. ^ What Is Invertase and How Is It Used? by Elizabeth LaBau on theSpuceEats, 22 Nov 2019
  4. ^ a b "The History of the Cherry Blossom Empire". Diefenbunker Museum. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  5. ^ "What Acquisition of Lowney will mean to Standard Brands". newspapers.com. National Post Newspaper. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Nabisco, Standard Brands whip up $2 Billion Merger". newspapers.com. Montreal Gazette Newspaper. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  7. ^ Carr, David (2003). Candymaking in Canada. Dundum. p. 107.
  8. ^ "Hershey to swallow candy unit of Nabisco". newspapers.com. Toronto Star Newspaper. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Bombardier closes Boucherville NY plants, consolidates Ski-Doo distribution in Sherbrooke". newspapers.com. Montreal Gazette Newspaper. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Hershey to shut down Smiths Falls, Ont. plant". toronto.ctvnews.ca. CTV News. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  11. ^ "Hershey Canada stopping production of Cherry Blossom candy". citynews.ca. City News Toronto. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  12. ^ Magder, Jason. "How sweet it was: Cherry Blossom chocolates flying off store shelves on news it will be discontinued". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
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