Loft Candy Corporation Stock Certificate (1979) — Candy-Maker Legend

Celebrate a sweet slice of American retail history with this Loft Candy Corporation stock certificate, issued in 1979. Loft was once a powerhouse in confectionery—growing from a small family kitchen into one of the world’s largest candy sellers.

If you love scripophily, vintage food brands, or collectible paper with major backstory, this certificate brings instant charm: the story of Loft is basically a timeline of American “treat culture.”

Loft Candy Corporation: From Canal Street Kitchen to Candy Empire

Beginnings (1860)

Loft’s story begins in 1860, when English immigrants William and Anna Loft began making chocolates in their home kitchen and opened their first sweet shop on Canal Street in Lower Manhattan.

Expansion to Global Candy Leadership (1890s–1920s)

In the late 1800s into the early 1900s, their son George W. Loft took over operations. He moved production to large factory spaces in Queens and—by the 1920s—the brand had grown into the largest candy maker and retailer in the world.

What Loft Made & Sold

Loft manufactured and sold hundreds of confections, including:

• Chocolates
• Hard candies
• Holiday novelties
• Popular bars such as Parlay Bar and Butter Nut Crunch

Loft didn’t just sell candy—it built the machine behind it:

• Massive production facilities, chiefly in Long Island City, Queens
• Distribution through a wide network of corporate retail storefronts and department store partnerships across the Eastern Seaboard and Midwest

Big Corporate Plot Twist: Pepsi-Cola (1931 → 1941)

In 1931, executive Charles G. Guth oversaw Loft, Inc.’s purchase of the bankrupt Pepsi-Cola Company to supply soft drinks for Loft soda fountains.

Pepsi grew rapidly under this leadership, and the two companies formally merged in 1941. Not long after, they spun off Loft Candy Corporation as a separate entity.

Growth, Competition, and Closing the Final Stores (1990)

Loft was later acquired by Albert M. Greenfield’s City Stores Company, and the company expanded further across 15 states. But shifts in ownership and rising market competition made it harder to sustain the retail business.

Loft eventually closed its remaining retail operations, shutting down final stores in 1990.

Why Loft Candy Is So Collectible

• Issued in 1979—a memorable late-century collecting window
• World-scale reputation: by the 1920s, Loft had become the world’s largest candy seller
• Totally Americana—from New York confection storefronts to big corporate candy production
• Packed with “box of history” details collectors love: iconic products, massive facilities, and major corporate moves

Product Details

• Company: Loft Candy Corporation
• Issue Year: 1979
• Collecting Theme: American confectionery history & retail brand legacy