Milkshake Candy Bar (History, Pictures & Commercials) - Snack History (2024)

The Milkshake Candy Bar is one of those candy bars that were incredibly popular, but sort of just faded away. It was incredibly popular for a short time, but was discontinued due to a business acquisition in the 1980s.

Here is the story of the rise and fall of the once popular Milkshake Candy Bar.

We’ll go over how the Milkshake Candy Bar was created, its popularity, why it was discontinued, and list some of its competitors.

What was a Milkshake Candy Bar?

A Milkshake Candy Bar was a candy bar that was created during the 1920s. It was called a Milkshake Candy Bar, because the ingredients gave it a similar taste to a chocolate malt milkshake.

Origins of the Milkshake Candy Bar

Frank Martoccio

Frank Martoccio was the head of the F.A. Martoccio Macaroni Company that made pasta noodles. After a lot of use, Martoccio’s processing machines burned out and he needed replacements.

Near his factory was a shut down candy factory called Pratt and Langhoft Candy that was full of machines he needed. Initially, Frank just wanted to buy the machines and did not want the entire candy factory.

He had no interest in the candy business or making any type of candy. This was until Martoccio was talked into buying the entire plant and was now in the candy business

The Hollywood Candy Company

Martoccio would go on to found the Hollywood Candy Company named after where it was located in Hollywood, Minnesota. He would continue making one of the candies the previous owner made called a Butter-Nut Bar.

A candy bar that would be taken to court against the creator of the Butterfinger and actually win the case.

Another candy bar that Martoccio would go on to develop was the Zero Bar in 1919. The white chocolate candy bar that is still produced by Hersey till this day.

The Milkshake Candy Bar is created

In 1927, Frank Martoccio would buy another candy company in Minneapolis called the Pendergast Candy Company. After buying the rights to the company, Frank switched all of the brands into his Hollywood brand candies.

One reason why he bought this candy company was because they had created a process to make nougat fluffy. This process allowed for nougat to be fluffy enough to be put in a candy bar.

It was so ingenious that Frank Mars, the owner of Mars Inc copied the method to make his Milky Way Candy bars.

The head bakers at the Hollywood Candy Company began coming up with recipes to make a nougat filled candy bar. What they created would be known as the Milkshake Candy Bar in 1927.

This Milkshake Candy Bar would be a game changer in the candy business and become popular during the time.

Martoccio’s innovations

What set the Milkshake Candy Bar and other Hollywood Candy products apart from its competitors was how they were made. Martoccio developed a way to coat his chocolate candies in a synthetic coating to keep them from melting in warm temperatures.

He would also only use the best ingredients he could get and would not settle for adding any synthetic/fake ingredients.

The Milkshake Candy Bar’s early popularity

From the 1930s to early 1950s, the Milkshake Candy Bar and other Hollywood candies were quite popular. They had their own following and even competed against Hershey’s Chocolate in different markets.

In 1932, they would release the widely popular Payday candy bar that is still made to this day by the Hershey Company. A candy bar consisting of peanuts and caramel.

The Martoccio’s sell the Hollywood Candy Company

After 50 years in the candy business and making popular candies like the Milkshake Bar, the Martoccio family sold the business. The company that purchased the Hollywood brand was called Consolidated Foods, which would later turn into Sara Lee.

Consolidated Foods continued to sell the Milkshake Bar and the other candies for the next decade until 1980.

The Centralia Plant burns down

In 1980, the Centralia Plant, where Milkshake Bars were made since 1938 burned to the ground. This was a big blow to Consolidated Foods and they were not able to continue making the candies.

The Leaf Candy Company buys the Milkshake Candy Bar & then is bought by Hershey

Consolidated Foods would sell their rights to the Hollywood products the Leaf Candy Company in 1988. They kept making certain Hollywood brand candies until 1996.

This was when the Leaf Candy Company was bought out and absorbed by the Hershey Company. The old rival of the Hollywood Candy Company.

After going through each product, Hershey’s decided to continue producing only two of the Hollywood candies. Those were Payday and the Zero bars.

Unfortunately the Milkshake Candy Bars did not make the cut. They would never be produced again or sold to the public.

Milkshake Candy Bar Logo

Milkshake Candy Bar wrapper design

The Milkshake Candy Bar wrapper consisted of:

• Green Lettering
• White Outline
• Brown Filling
• Tan Filling

The old Milky Way wrappers look very similar to the Milkshake Bars and may have taken the design.

Hollywood Candy Bars

In the 50 year history of the Hollywood Candy Company, they made 20 different candy bars including the Milkshake Candy Bar. Here is the complete list.

• Milkshake Bar
• Payday Candy Bar
• Zero Bar
• 747
• Almond Bar
• Buccaneers
• Treasure Bar
• Nut Sundae Bar
• Sno King Candy Bar
• Teddy Bear Bar
• Nut Patti
• Tafy Nut
• Tofy Nut
• 3 Big Bears
• Top Stars

Main competitors to the Milkshake Bar

The Milkshake Candy Bar had one main revival competitor in particular and that was the Milky Way Bar. Both the Milkshake Bar and Milky Way had the same ingredients and allegedly a similar taste.

Frank Mars, the founder of the Mars Inc candy company allegedly copied the Milkshake Bar. Seeing how the Hollywood Candy Company created their nougat, Mars would recreate the candy to make the Milky Way Bar.

Both candy bars consist of:

• Milk Chocolate
• Caramel
• Nougat

Although people that tried both said that the Milkshake Candy Bar has a malt flavor, while Milky Way has a chocolate flavor.

The nougat in a Milkshake Bar was also coated in malt. Allowing for customers to put their Milkshake Bars in the freezer, where it would get a similar texture to ice cream.

At times in history the Milkshake Candy Bar was more popular, but the Milky Way survived the times.

Return of the Milkshake?

Unfortunately after the Leaf Candy Company acquired the Hollywood Candy Company, Hershey’s would buy the Leaf Candy Company. The time frame for these acquisitions were from 1988 to 1996.

Nearly all of the Hollywood Candy Company’s products would be discontinued and never be produced again. This included the once popular Milkshake Candy Bar.

Since the Milkshake Candy Bar was discontinued, there have been numerous petitions to Hershey to bring it back, but to no avail. For now, the Milkshake Bar will have to live on in the memories of those that were around to enjoy the candy.

Milkshake Candy Bar Ingredients

• Sugar
• Corn
• Syrup
• Vegetable Oils (Palm Kernel, Partially Hydrogenated Soy Bean, and Hydrogenated Palm Oils)
• Skim Milk Solids
• Cocoa Powder
• Whey Solids
• Salt
• Egg Albumen
• Vegetable Lecithin
• Vegetable Protein
• Artificial Flavors
• Mono and Diglycerides

Milkshake Candy Bar Nutrition

• * Contains less than 2 Percent U.S. Recomended Daily Amout of these nutrients.

Pictures of Milkshake Candy Bar

Milkshake Candy Bar Commercials

Brianna York

My name is Brianna and I love writing on all topics. Candy history fascinates me and I am passionate about sharing my love of this topic with everyone else!