Hard then soft. It's the whole point. If you grew up anywhere near a bodega, a gas station, or a middle school vending machine, you know that specific tension of trying to bite into a Now and Later bar without losing a filling. It starts out like a brick. Honestly, it’s basically a colorful ceramic tile for the first thirty seconds. But then the magic happens. The heat of your mouth breaks down that stubborn pectin and corn syrup, and suddenly you’ve got this long-lasting, intensely tart chew that sticks around way longer than a Starburst ever could.
That duality isn't just a marketing gimmick. It’s the literal engineering of the candy. Created back in 1962 by the Phoenix Candy Company in Brooklyn, the Now and Later was designed to be the "all-day" treat. Harry Klein, the man behind the brand, wanted something that wouldn't just vanish in two chews. He succeeded. Even today, under the Ferrara Candy Company umbrella, the recipe maintains that signature "eat some now, save some for later" promise, though let’s be real: nobody actually saves them for later. You eat the whole pack in one sitting.
The Science Behind the Texture of a Now and Later Bar
Why is it so hard at first? Most people think it’s just stale. It’s not. The Now and Later bar uses a specific formulation of corn syrup, sugar, and soy oil, but the "shortness" of the texture—the way it snaps before it stretches—comes from the aeration process and the specific type of acidulant used.
When you first unwrap that little paper square, the sugars are in a highly crystalline, glass-like state. As the temperature rises to 98.6 degrees in your mouth, those bonds loosen. It’s a phase transition. You’re essentially tempering the candy with your own body heat. This is why fans of the brand often have "prep" rituals. Some people keep them in their pockets to soften them up before opening. Others—the daredevils—toss them in the freezer to make them even more brittle, turning a chewable candy into a literal piece of fruit-flavored ice.
The flavor profile is equally aggressive. We aren't talking about "natural fruit extracts" here. This is old-school, high-impact confectionery. The Blue Raspberry and Watermelon flavors use significant amounts of citric acid to trigger a salivation response, which actually helps the softening process move faster. It’s a feedback loop of flavor and physics.
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From Brooklyn Streets to Global Icon
The history of the Now and Later bar is a classic American business story. Phoenix Candy Company started small. They were a family-run operation in a borough that used to be the candy-making capital of the world. Back then, the packaging was iconic—those simple, waxy paper wrappers that always seemed to stick to the candy just a little bit too much. You’d end up eating a tiny sliver of paper. It was part of the experience.
In the late 70s and early 80s, the brand took off because it was cheap. We’re talking "penny candy" adjacent. For a quarter, you could get a strip of five or six squares that would last you an entire walk home from school.
Ownership Changes and Brand Evolution
- 1962: Harry Klein founds Phoenix Candy Company and launches the brand.
- 1983: Beatrice Foods acquires the brand, beginning a series of corporate hand-offs.
- 1992: Giants like Nabisco and eventually Farley’s & Sathers take the reins.
- Today: Ferrara Candy Company (the folks behind Lemonheads and Trolli) owns the brand.
Each owner tried to tweak things. Some introduced "Soft" versions for people who didn't want to work for their sugar. Others added "Extreme Sour" variants. But the classic "Original" remains the king. The current lineup includes over 12 flavors, but the "Original Mix" (Cherry, Apple, Grape) still moves the most volume. Interestingly, the brand has seen a massive resurgence in "Candy Salad" culture on social media. People love the vibrant colors and the fact that the squares don't melt as easily as chocolate when mixed into a big bowl of treats.
Why Some Flavors Just Hit Different
Not all Now and Laters are created equal. If you ask a hardcore fan, they’ll tell you that the Banana flavor is the polarizing "love it or hate it" king. Like many classic candies, the banana flavor is based on the Gros Michel variety—a type of banana that was largely wiped out by blight in the mid-20th century. That’s why it doesn't taste like the bananas you buy at the grocery store today. It tastes like history.
Then there's the Watermelon. It’s neon green on the outside and bright pink on the inside. It’s a visual assault. But the flavor is a masterclass in artificial nostalgia. It’s the kind of sweetness that stays in the back of your throat for an hour.
The Underappreciated Classics
- Wildberry: Often overlooked, but it has a deeper, more complex tartness than the standard Cherry.
- Pineapple: A rare find in some packs, but it captures that tropical acidity perfectly.
- Pink Lemonade: A later addition that uses a different acid blend to mimic the "zing" of a cold drink.
The Cultural Impact of the Square
The Now and Later bar occupies a unique spot in the "nostalgia economy." It’s a bridge between generations. Gen X remembers them from the neighborhood bodega; Gen Z discovers them through "ASMR" crunch videos. There is something deeply satisfying about the geometry of it. A perfect square.
It’s also one of the few candies that hasn't succumbed to "shrinkflation" in a way that ruins the experience. While the bars might be slightly smaller than they were in 1985, the density remains. You still feel like you're getting your money's worth because of the time investment required to finish one. You can't rush a Now and Later. The candy dictates the pace.
How to Get the Best Experience
If you're looking to dive back into a pack, don't just grab a random bag. Look for the "Original" chews if you want the classic experience. If you have sensitive teeth or expensive dental work, for the love of everything, stick to the "Soft" variety. The "Splits" are also a cool innovation—two flavors in one bar—but they change the texture slightly because of the way the different syrups interact.
Check the "Best By" date, too. While sugar and corn syrup have a legendary shelf life, older bars can become too hard. They lose that "Later" transition and just stay "Now" forever. A fresh bar should have a slight give when you press it firmly between your thumb and forefinger.
Actionable Insights for the Candy Connoisseur
To truly appreciate the Now and Later bar, try these specific approaches:
- The Warm-Up: Keep the pack in a warm environment (like a sunlit car dashboard or a pocket) for ten minutes before eating. It skips the "dental hazard" phase and goes straight to the chewy center.
- Flavor Layering: Try eating a Green Apple and a Cherry square at the same time. The resulting "Fruit Punch" effect is better than any pre-mixed flavor.
- The Freeze Test: If you're a fan of hard candy, freeze a Grape Now and Later. It becomes an intensely flavored "sucker" that lasts for twenty minutes.
- Hydration Check: Always have water nearby. The high sugar and acid content can dry out your palate quickly, making the flavors taste "muted" after the third or fourth square.
Whether you're revisiting a childhood favorite or trying one for the first time, the Now and Later remains a marvel of candy engineering. It’s stubborn. It’s loud. It’s unapologetically artificial. And in a world of soft, melt-in-your-mouth chocolates, there’s something respectable about a candy that makes you work for it.