Candy Raisins
Rare revivals. Dead in 2008, revived in 2014, gone again in 2023, and back once more since 2025 through a West Allis candy shop. The 1928 birth year is the brand's own claim — press accounts say only 'the 1930s.'
Last verified Nov 7, 2026
Milwaukee's amber, malt-flavored gumdrops contained no raisins and never really left southeastern Wisconsin — a regional habit strong enough to come back from the dead twice.
Filed under: Candy & Gum · the ’70s & earlier
📅 Timeline
- 1928Born in Milwaukee, per the brand's own history — 'a Wisconsin secret since 1928.' Press accounts say only 'the 1930s.'
- 1939Stark Candy bought the American Candy Co., one of the original makers, and took over production.
- 2008The last Candy Raisins rolled off the line in early 2008 as NECCO shuttered the Pewaukee Stark Candy plant.
- 2014Back on store shelves in October via superfan John Barker's Lake Country Candies of Delafield, Wisconsin.
- 2023Gone again — the manufacturer quit and the ordering site went dark that October.
- 2025Revived once more under new ownership; the first batch sold out in June, with bulk retail through Half Nuts in West Allis from August.
❓ People also ask
Do Candy Raisins contain raisins?
No. They're firm, amber, malt-flavored gumdrops — the name describes the look, not the ingredients.
Can you still buy Candy Raisins?
Yes, in a small way: since 2025 they're sold through Half Nuts candy shop in West Allis, Wisconsin, and by mail order from the revived brand.
Why did Candy Raisins disappear in 2008?
NECCO closed the Pewaukee Stark Candy factory that made them. The candy sat dead until 2014, when John Barker — reportedly more than $1 million lighter — brought it back.
🧾 Sources
- Milwaukee Magazine, Requiem for a Raisin (2010)
- FOX6 Milwaukee, 'I want them back:' Once discontinued, Wisconsin man brings back Candy Raisins (2014)
- candyraisins.com (Lake Country Candies), About Candy Raisins (2025)
- Urban Milwaukee, Lost Milwaukee: Milwaukee's Sweetest Story (2020)