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Most popular Valentine’s candy by each state

Most popular Valentine's candy by each state

Ben George from candystore.com has an interesting candy chart of the most popular Valentine’s candy by each state in 2023.

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! With the holiday of love just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about what candy we’ll be giving to our loved ones. But what type of candy will each state be consuming this year? We’ve done the research, and we’ve got the answer. You won’t want to miss this; here are the most popular Valentine’s candies by each state in 2023.

StateTOP VALENTINES 20232ND PLACE 20233RD PLACE 2023
AlabamaCandy NecklacesConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of Chocolates
AlaskaConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesCinnamon Bears
ArizonaM&M’sHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesConversation Hearts
ArkansasHershey KissesConversation HeartsGhirardelli Gift Box
CaliforniaConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesM&M’s
ColoradoHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesConversation HeartsHershey Kisses
ConnecticutHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesM&M’sConversation Hearts
DelawareHershey KissesConversation HeartsChocolate Hearts
FloridaConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesChocolate Roses
GeorgiaHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesChocolate RosesConversation Hearts
HawaiiConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesCandy Necklaces
IdahoConversation HeartsHershey KissesM&M’s
IllinoisConversation HeartsChocolate RosesM&M’s
IndianaHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesConversation HeartsChocolate Roses
IowaM&M’sConversation HeartsGhirardelli Gift Box
KansasM&M’sHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesGhirardelli Gift Box
KentuckyChocolate RosesConversation HeartsM&M’s
LouisianaConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesM&M’s
MaineChocolate HeartsGhirardelli Gift BoxConversation Hearts
MarylandM&M’sConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of Chocolates
MassachusettsConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesChocolate Hearts
MichiganCupid CornHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesConversation Hearts
MinnesotaHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesM&M’sConversation Hearts
MississippiHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesConversation HeartsChocolate Roses
MissouriConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesHershey Kisses
MontanaChocolate HeartsConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of Chocolates
NebraskaCupid CornHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesChocolate Hearts
NevadaHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesConversation HeartsChocolate Roses
New HampshireHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesConversation HeartsChocolate Hearts
New JerseyM&M’sHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesConversation Hearts
New MexicoChocolate RosesHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesCandy Necklaces
New YorkConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesCinnamon Bears
North CarolinaConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesCupid Corn
North DakotaM&M’sConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of Chocolates
OhioHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesCupid CornConversation Hearts
OklahomaHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesConversation HeartsChocolate Roses
OregonHershey KissesM&M’sHeart-Shaped Box of Chocolates
PennsylvaniaHershey KissesM&M’sConversation Hearts
Rhode IslandChocolate HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesConversation Hearts
South CarolinaConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesGhirardelli Gift Box
South DakotaHershey KissesConversation HeartsChocolate Hearts
TennesseeConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesWild Berry Skittles
TexasHershey KissesHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesConversation Hearts
UtahHershey KissesM&M’sConversation Hearts
VermontM&M’sConversation HeartsCandy Necklaces
VirginiaConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesCupid Corn
WashingtonConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesChocolate Roses
Washington, D.C.Heart-Shaped Box of ChocolatesConversation HeartsCinnamon Bears
West VirginiaConversation HeartsCupid CornCandy Necklaces
WisconsinConversation HeartsHershey KissesGhirardelli Gift Box
WyomingChocolate RosesConversation HeartsHeart-Shaped Box of Chocolates

It was a rough couple years starting in 2019 for Sweethearts conversation hearts candy. After Necco got ripped apart and its brands sent off to various bidders, Sweethearts’ new owner took more time than anticipated to get their feet under them. In fact, Sweethearts weren’t available in 2019 at all! As the most popular brand of conversation hearts (Brach’s makes a lot of them as well), the sales of conversation hearts overall were down over 24%.

In 2020, they were back but only a limited supply was available. As new owner Spangler hurried to get them out, they ran into some printing issues and the cute little sayings written on them were distorted and blurred. Quite a few of them were blank – no words at all. Doh!

In the last two years, they broke through again, reclaiming their dominance with a particular vengeance in 2022. With Spangler introducing all-new sayings on Sweethearts, conversation hearts made a heroic comeback in 2021, and all seems to be going very well for the chatty little cardiacs. 

Hershey Kisses Moving In On M&M’s Gains?

Hershey’s Kisses are quickly making their way up the list of the most popular Valentine’s Day candy. Hershey’sKisses picked up two #1 spots this year and several runners-up and third-place finishes as well. M&M’s, which had been making steady progress up the chart for the last few years, got knocked off the top spot in two states, Oregon and Pennsylvania. By whom? None other than Hershey Kisses.

Cupid Corn is Back To #1 In Michigan

Just when we thought they were fading away, cupid corn made a comeback last year. After claiming a new #1 state in Nebraska, candy corn also regained the #1 spot in Michigan, where it had fallen as far as the nimbler 3 spots in recent years after a long-time top V-day candy for the state.

Valentine’s Day Candy Quick Facts

47% of people said they will buy themselves a box of chocolates this year.

58 million pounds of chocolate are bought during Valentine’s Day week.

The peak selling period for conversation hearts is only 6 weeks long. Wow!

It takes manufacturers 11 months to produce enough for those 6 weeks.

Vodka infused with candy remained popular with conversation hearts last year.

Children receive 39 percent of all Valentine’s Day candy and gifts.

In Japan, chocolate is given to men, not women, on Valentine’s Day.

In Wales, wooden love spoons were traditionally given as a token of love.

The first Valentine’s Day candy box was created by Richard Cadbury in the late 1800s.

The most popular Valentine’s Day color is red.

The average American spends $144.56 on Valentine’s Day candy.

Each year, an estimated 1 billion cards are exchanged on Valentine’s Day.

The oldest box of Valentine’s Day candy dates back to the early 1900s.

In the Middle Ages, valentines were handmade gifts like love poems or artwork.

About 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are sold each year leading up to Valentine’s Day.

By Ben George ben@candystore.com