Illinois Bicentennial

Heath Bars Go To War

The Heath candy bar was created in a confectionery, on the small town square of Robinson, Illinois. In 1928, the Heath brothers, Bayard and Everett, began marketing the "Heath English Toffee. " The bar acquired an admirable reputation serving local customers.

During WWII, by way of a federal contract, Heath bars were included in soldiers' rations. The complaint from the soldiers had been that regular chocolate bars would be rendered non-edible due to the heat and wear and tear in their packs. The Heath bars, in contrast, fared better due to the toffee center.

The Heath family sold the business in 1989 to Leaf, Inc. which was then acquired by Hershey in 1996, but the Heath bar, still to this day, is made in Robinson, Illinois.

Content for this page is from the Illinois Heritage Magazine, article by Rose Logrosso.