The Phoenix Candy Company is best known for their product Now & Later, but during the 1960’s and 1970’s, Phoenix also sold quite a few series of Candy-and-a-Toy boxed candy. Today I’ll be covering their 1978 release, based on the King Features property Flash Gordon.
The above image is part of a one-sheet sales flyer for the Flash Gordon release that would have been distributed to retailers for ordering, or for advertising. It’s great in that it shows a full display box, as well as a burst-out revealing the mail-away for this line – a Now & Later t-shirt.
It might be difficult to imagine now, but these toys in candy boxes were not uncommon when I was growing up in the 1970’s. The toys were never a big deal, comparable to the small plastic Cracker Jack toys of the time, but still… as a kid, this was value!
I don’t know if Phoenix was always in the Candy-and-a-Toy business but these types of offers go back to the 1960’s and earlier. They could easily be a collecting category unto themselves.
I have a pair of these Phoenix Company Flash Gordon boxes in my collection.
Phoenix licensed a number of properties for their “Candy-and-a-Toy” series, and they must have been successful, as is evidenced by the multitude releases over the years. I recall Fat Albert, Welcome Back Kotter, Planet of the Apes, and more. Sadly I don’t have images for those others to share today.
I suspect that, given time and a lot of hunting, I could write an expansive look back on just this part of Phoenix Candy history. For now, I shall use what I have in my collection.
Here are two other Phoenix Candy-and-a-Toy series boxes I have. As you can see, cartoons and comics were the go-to for the kind of property they attached to these. But prime time television was also included. Now that I think about it, I believe they did a Happy Days series of these.
That’s all for this glimpse at a fun throwback genre of candy packaging – the Candy-and-a-Toy, from Phoenix Candy Company. I hope you enjoyed it, and if you recall any of the other lines released over the years, drop a line and share.
As a kid, I remember getting Fat Albert candy boxes similar to these. I think they were made by Phoenix, too.
I have 4 of strictly fun candy & toy baseball series boxes from the Phoenix Candy Co. in Brooklyn NY. I think they were 5c in the early 60’s. What’s interesting is on the bottom flap it says PRIVILEGE TO EXAMINE BEFORE PURCHASE .
I would love to purchase the chocolate, vanilla and caramel now & later
Use to be my favorite candy back in 1976-1978. Is there anyway these flavors can be purchased?
Hi Greta,
Sadly they haven’t produced them in decades.
Jason
I’m looking for the old now later flavors like vanilla, chocolate, do they make thoes flavors anymore I would love to find them