FOOD HISTORY: Milk Duds

Milk Duds,  bite sized, chocolate covered, caramel  candies, were created in 1928 by Hoffman and Co., one of the original inventors of chocolate covered caramels. The Hoffman Co. wanted to make a  round, chocolate covered, caramel candy confection but, no matter how they tried, their equipment could not make a perfectly round product. Therefore, they called these less-than-perfectly round candies "duds" and, further, because of the large amount of milk that went into their making, "milk duds'. In 1928, Milton J. Holloway purchased the Hoffman Co.and started to market the "defective candy duds" under the name, "Holloway's Milk Duds". This new candy became a world-wide favorite and sold particularly well in movie theater concession stands. In 1960, after Holloway sold the company, it has passed through several corporate hands and is now made by the Hershey Co. However, the current formulation for "Milk Duds" is NOT the same as tthe original Hoffman/Holloway product.