Necco Wafers

WBZ's Jordan Rich talks with Susan Mara Bregman, author of "New England Sweets: Doughnuts, Bonbons & Whoopie Pies," about the history of Necco Wafers.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hi there, Connoisseus Goner Jr. With you, And we're talking
today with Susan Mara Bregman in a special series based
on her new book New England Suites, Donuts, Bond Bonds
and Whoope Pies. When you think about candy in this area,
you think Neco wafers, and in your book, Susan, you've
got the story.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Necho originated in eighteen forty seven when a pharmacist named
Oliver Chase developed a machine that would automate the production
of sugar lozenges. And pharmacists at the time made sugary
candy to hide the taste of medicine, and so he
invented this machine that could cut uniform discs and those

(00:40):
eventually became the Neco wafers that we know and love today.
So Necho was.

Speaker 3 (00:45):
Formed in the early nineteen hundreds and the company was
a merger of three Boston candy companies, including the one
that Oliver Chase founded with his brother, and Necho stands
for the New England Confectionery Company.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
They moved to Cambridge in nineteen ten, twenty seven because
land was cheaper back then. Necko filed for bankruptcy in
twenty eighteen, most of its iconic products were sold at
auction and a company called Spangler out of Ohio bought
the recipe for neco wafers and after a couple of
years to retool a factory, they started manufacturing neco wafers

(01:21):
again and you can buy them today.

Speaker 1 (01:23):
Thank you. Susan Bregman Moore coming up from New England
sweets her new book, Donuts, Whoopee Pies, Marshmallow Fluff and
Moore right here on Connoisseur's Corner WBZ, Boston's news radio