NECCO Sweetheart Conversation Hearts Introduces Animal Inspired Sayings for 2007

The New England Confectionary Company (NECCO)'s popular Sweetheart ® Conversation Hearts introduces animal-inspired sayings for the Valentine's Day season of 2007. The sayings include: My Pet, Bear Hug, Top Dog, URA Tiger, Go Fish, Love Bird and Purr Fect.

The sayings are perfect for both the animal lovers - and the "animals" in us. Who among us hasn't given someone a bear hug, or called someone a real "tiger" lately? The NECCO company does like to keep up with the latest trends and happening in current American culture. According to a LIFE/AOL Pets Poll, Americans spent $36 billion in 2006 on pet products and services. Eighty percent of dog owners have purchased a gift for their beloved furry friend. Not to mention that many singles who are looking for love also turn to animal lovers personals to find someone who shares their mutual passion for cats, dogs, fish, ferrets or other loveable furry, feathered or scaley creature they share their life with. So it is perfect that NECCO would think to make this year's theme animal-inspired sayings.

Each year NECCO introduces ten new sayings for the Sweethearts ® Conversation Hearts. In 2005, the sayings were inspired by the game of love. In 2006, the sayings were inspired by the comforts of home.

The origin of Sweetheart ® Conversation Hearts dates back to the late 1800's. Daniel Chase founded NECCO in 1847. In 1866 Oliver Chase invented the process that makes it possible for NECCO to print the messages directly on the Conversation Motto Hearts. Before that, the conversation candies were in a "cockle" shape and the message was printed on what looked very much like a fortune cookie - a thin piece of paper inside the candy. The Conversation Candies were popular during their time, and they were used as entertainment twisters and as favors at weddings. One such favor looked like this:

Married in satin

Love will not be lasting

Married in white

You have chosen right.

They were considered very funny for their time. When Valentine's Day became a popular holiday at the turn of the century. Conversation Motto Hearts became synonymous with the holiday. Since the turn of the century, more than two hundred and fifty billion Sweethearts ® Conversation Hearts have come off the NECCO production lines and into American's hearts (and mouths!).

NECCO creates eight billion Sweethearts ® Conversation Hearts every year, most of them are sold during the six-week period from January 1^st through February 14^th. This makes them the #1 selling non-chocolate Valentine's Day candy. They are a great candy for the calorie-conscious. They are fat-free, sodium-free and they contain just three calories per each small heart, and six calories per each large heart.

Do you have a special message you'd like to see on a Sweetheart ® Conversation Heart? NECCO does do custom imprinted Sweetheart ® Conversation Hearts, if you are willing to buy a full production run. That is approximately 3,500 pounds of candy, or 1.6 million individual hearts.