- 1854 The first packaged box of Whitman's chocolate is offered for sale.
- 1868 Richard Cadbury introduces the first Valentine's Day box of chocolates.
- 1880s Wunderle Candy Co. creates candy corn.
- 1893 William Wrigley Jr. introduces Juicy Fruit gum and Wrigley's Spearmint gum.
- 1896 Tootsie Rolls debut, introduced by Leo Hirshfield of New York, who named them after his daughter's nickname.
- 1900 Milton S. Hershey of Lancaster, Pa., introduces the first Hershey milk chocolate bar.
- 1901 The King Leo pure peppermint stick candy was developed and trademarked.
- 1902 Necco makes the first conversation hearts - tiny Valentine's Day favorites with messages printed on them.
- 1906 Hershey's Kisses chocolates appear.
- 1912 Life Savers, the candy named for having a ring shape with a hole in the center, are introduced in peppermint flavor.
- 1912 The Whitman's Sampler box of chocolates is born. It is the first box of chocolates to include a now-famous index showing the filling in each piece.
- 1913 Goo Goo Clusters, a Southern favorite, were the first bar to combine milk chocolate, caramel, marshmallow and peanuts.
- 1920 The Baby Ruth candy bar is first sold, putatively named for President Grover Cleveland's daughter, not the famous baseball player.
- 1923 Mounds, the double candy bar, offered a coconut filling enrobed in chocolate.
- 1923 The Milky Way bar is created to taste like a malted milk.
- 1925 Bit-O-Honey debuts.
- 1926 Milk Duds are introduced.
- 1928 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups debut, named for the man who created them.
- 1930 M&M/Mars introduces the Snickers bar, named for a favorite horse owned by the Mars family.
- 1931 Tootsie Roll Pops are introduced.
- 1932 Mars Almond Bar introduced by M&M/Mars
- 1932 Red Hots are made by Ferrara Pan Candy Co.
- 1932 M&M/Mars debuts the 3 Musketeers Bar.
- 1941 M&M's Plain Chocolate Candies are introduced in response to slack chocolate sales in summer.
- 1949 Smarties, small pastel candy disks, are introduced, followed by the Smarties Necklace nine years later.
- 1954 Marshmallow Peeps are introduced by Just Born Inc. in the shape of Easter chicks.
- 1960 M&M/Mars Starburst Fruit Chews are introduced.
- 1960 Lemonheads are created.
- 1963 SweeTarts are introduced.
- 1976 Jelly Bellys offer consumers fun and unique flavors in a tiny jelly bean.
- 1978 Hershey's Reese's Pieces bite-size candies are introduced, and four years later made popular by the blockbuster movie "E.T."
- 1979 Twix Caramel Cookie Bars introduced.
- 1980 Goelitz introduces the first American-made gummy bears and gummy worms. Formerly, these candies were imported from Europe.
- 1981 A European favorite since 1974, Skittles Bite Size Candies are introduced in the United States.
- 1992 Dove Dark Chocolate Bar and Dove Milk Chocolate Bar introduced nationally.
- 1999 Sound Bites Lollipops from Cap Candies are the first radio-lollipop combination in the growing interactive candy segment.
