A candy-coated history: How the iconic Whitman’s sampler came to be

George Davis — 170 years ago, a young chocolatier opened a small confectionary in Philadelphia — and a candy store that became the birthplace of the Whitman’s Sampler, an American icon. While Whitman’s chocolates are no longer made in Philadelphia, the city is full of tributes and history relating to the legendary treats.

History of this sweet treat

It all began with a 19-year-old Quaker named Stephen F. Whitman, who set up a small candy and fruit shop on Market Street near the Philadelphia waterfront, the city’s first shop of this kind. Many people from all walks of life came to the shop, and thanks to the exotic ingredients he used, which were brought to him by well-traveled sailors, his candies were renowned across the Northeast.

This innovative candy-maker created beautiful packaging and well-crafted advertising campaigns that emphasized the quality of his candies. Profits soared, and soon Horace Whitman replaced his father as company president. He introduced America to cellophane, which kept candies fresh, colorful, and clean. The first box of chocolates, produced in 1854, was a box of sugar plums adorned with curlicues and rosebuds.

After a while, Walter Sharp became the president. He created the iconic Whitman’s Sampler, which is an assortment of the company’s best-selling chocolates. The design of the box was inspired by a framed cross-stitch piece made by his great aunt (or his grandmother, accounts vary). By 1915, the sampler had become America’s best-selling box of chocolates — a position still held today.

The Messenger Boy, made of solid milk chocolate, is the centerpiece of every sampler. It was added to the box as a symbol of quality and excellence, and has been used in drug store displays and in the company's advertising since its creation.

Between 1926 and 1964, Whitman’s executives and staff searched out and purchased old samplers, which were displayed in the firm’s candy and ice cream shop in Philadelphia. And during the 50s and 60s, the collection was shown in small exhibits around the country. Also, reproductions of some of the samplers were sold in kits sold through Woman’s Day magazine.

The sampler is truly well-known; movie stars including John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Bob Hope, Jimmy Stewart, and Elizabeth Taylor have promoted the chocolates. Interestingly, these stars were not paid in money, but in samplers! Also, the sampler is traditionally given as a gift from the U.S. President to visitors of the White House. And handwritten notes of encouragement are packaged into sampler boxes and sent to troops, even after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Further proving its important place in American history, the sampler was added to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in 1991.

What you’ll find in the sampler

Traditionally, the sampler box of chocolates included:

• Coconut chocolates


• Chocolate covered peanuts


• Caramel chocolates


• Chocolate covered almonds


• Chocolate whips


• Pecan / English walnut clusters


• Molasses chews


• Messenger boy


• Almond nougats


• Cashew clusters


• Chocolate clusters


• Toffee chip chocolates


• Cherry cordials


• Vermont fudge

Where to go in Philadelphia

If you’re looking to explore the candy in Philly, you should check out the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It has a collection, called “Embroidered Exemplars: Scottish Samplers from the Whitman Sampler Collection”, which features 10 Scottish samplers from the 18th and 19th centuries, which were collected in celebration of the company’s 170^th anniversary and the 100^th anniversary of the sampler box.

Whitman’s Candy today

In 1993, the company was sold to the Russell Stover Candy Company, and the Philadelphia plant closed after more than 150 years. Now, Whitman’s candies are manufactured at factories located in Abilene, Kansas; Iola, Kansas; Montrose, Colorado; and Corsicana, Texas.

In 2012, the company celebrated the 100th anniversary of the sampler with its “Kiss Me, I’m 100 Giveaway,” by sending a jumbo sampler and a “Kiss Me, I’m 100” hat to anyone born in 1912.

A sampler is sold every 2.5 seconds, according the company. When is the last time you had one of these iconic, sweet treats?

About the Author

George Davis is a history buff and a candy lover who lives in Philadelphia.