Did you know that in Canada, Smarties are called Rockets? They are known as Rockets in Canada so as not to confuse them with the candy-coated chocolate Smarties made by Nestlé. Rockets and Smarties have identical packaging. The American version is made in New Jersey and the Canadian equivalent is made in Ontario.
Rockets can also be found in South Africa, Australia, Europe and the rest of the world. You can find Smarties in the rest of the world but they are from Nestlé. They are comparable to M&Ms.
“Smarties produced by Smarties Candy Company Union Township, Union County, New Jersey, plant have a slightly different taste from the ones that are produced by their Newmarket, Ontario, plant. Some people believe that Canadian candies (branded as Rockets) generally taste stronger, with more noticeable differences between the various color flavors, and say “Made in Canada” on the label after the list of ingredients. Canadian-made Smarties are also imported into the US – typically, these Canadian Smarties are most commonly seen around Halloween, imported only when the US production is not sufficient for demand. These actually say “Made in Canada” under one of the main Smarties logos on the wrapper. These Canadian-made Smarties have a slightly smoother look to them than US production – the US-produced ones tend to have more colored “specks” present in them.”
“Whatever name you know them by, they are essentially the same rolled-up tablets that originated as Fizzers. The candy was first created in the 1930s by British confectioners Swizzels Matlow (made famous for their Love Hearts) and are still sold in the United Kingdom and Australia under that name.”
Fun Fact: Smarties are gluten-free – in fact, their entire line is gluten-free. (Tip: If the UPC number on the packaging begins with the number “0 11206” that means it is manufactured in a facility that is gluten-free.)