Ask anyone who visited the park decades ago, and one of their favorite memories of Cedar Point may have been the salt water taffy. Take some corn syrup, sugar, water, and some other ingredients, boil them, and stretch it until it forms taffy, and you have a favorite chewy treat.
The CPFB has been on a mission to find out where the salt water taffy is manufactured, because despite the boxes saying “Sandusky, Ohio,” they are not actually made in the park, and have not been for quite some time.
According to the book Images of America Cedar Point, by David W. Francis, Diane DeMali Francis:
“The Coffelt Candy Co. replaced the Old Cedar Point Candy Co. Besides selling salt water taffy Coffelt’s also operated a popcorn stand. Like its predecessor, Coffelt’s offered a half dozen flavors of taffy, but found that black walnut was always the top seller. Next to the Coffelt stand was the Kentucky Derby racing game.
During the early 1900s, taffy was pulled by hand, but by the 1940s, [a machine]…automatically pulled the taffy until it was ready to be placed in a machine and cut and wrapped each piece individually. The taffy was then displayed behind glass and sold in one-pound boxes. Customers could buy one flavor or an assortment of their choice.”
Today, Coffelt’s, located in Springfield, Ohio still is in operation and provides the salt water taffy for Kings Island.
In 2000, Cedar Point elected to outsource the production of salt water taffy to Sweet’s Candy Company in Utah. Sweet’s is the largest producer of salt water taffy in the nation. Rather than traditionally pulling the taffy, Sweet’s whips theirs allowing for a flavorful, less sticky, softer piece of taffy.
Sweet’s provides Cedar Point with a random assortment of salt water taffy. They also separately provide the following flavors: Banana, Chocolate, Peppermint, Watermelon, Neapolitan, Strawberry, and Vanilla.
In 2015, Cedar Point introduced the Sweet Spot store along the main midway. In addition to hand making a variety of treats like chocolate covered strawberries, fresh cookies, and fudge, you can also pick up Sweet Spot signature taffy. The Sweet Spot signature taffy is once again made by Coffelt’s Candy Company.
So now that we know who provides Cedar Point’s salt water taffy, is there anywhere else we can get it? The answer is yes! Sweet’s Candy Company provides salt water taffy nationally to Walmart. So when you get that craving, you can just head down to your local big box retailer and grab a bag off the shelves.
What do you think of the Cedar Point salt water taffy?
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Great article, but “Sanducky, Ohio”? Pretty sure it’s SanduSky lol I live there so I would know.
Thank you; corrected! 🙂
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In 1970, I worked for the Coffelt Candy Company, in the food court near the base of the Space Spiral. I would typically cook about 2000 lbs. per day.
Wow, that is awesome. We bet that would have been great to see as part of the customer experience.
I work there to from 1975-1977. it was fun and I work with Harold. Mr. Coffelt was a good person to work for.
My wife has always loved saltwater taffy and I have wanted to get her some for our anniversary. You mentioned that rather than traditionally pulling the taffy, Sweet’s whips theirs allowing for a flavorful, less sticky, softer piece of taffy. I didn’t realize that there are other ways of making taffy. Can you order if in bulk?
Freshly cooked taffy is amber in color. Some flavorings are added in the kitchen. As the taffy is pulled, or whipped, air is incorporated into the mix, turning it white in color. As flavoring is added, the taffy takes on various new colors and textures.
not at all happy with the salt water taffy I just purchased yesterday when I visited Cedar Point – something has definitely changed! yes it is softer and less sticky, but it also does not have the same taste. NOT AT ALL PLEASED… and I spent $16 on large box of it because I dont’ get to CP very often!
This sounds consistent with the freshness of the taffy or the quality of the ingredients or flavorings. Chemistry is not always your friend.
I have always loved the cedar point salt water taffy but it doesn’t taste the same anymore. It seems like you can get better taffy from the local drugstore now days
So sad to read this. Why can’t things ever stay the same? My mom loved CP taffy and we’d always have to take some home (1970-80). I remember watching them pull it — it was fascinating to watch! Now my daughter is literally on her way home this very minute with a box of CPSWT for me — my mouth has been watering all day for it. But it’s not going to be the same now. It never will be. Even if it tastes delicious, my heart is sad, and I’ll probably never buy it again. It’s just not special enough anymore.
Always loved Cedar Point taffy! One of my favorite things… was sad to discover the pound (2 boxes) I bought this year did not have the usual flavors I always loved… they had been replaced with Orange, lemon, cherry and grape. No peppermint, banana, chocolate or watermelon… out of 2 boxes.. only 1 strawberry and 3 vanilla..they still had the Neapolitan flavor… but that was the only original flavor in the boxes… very disappointing
I LOVED the old Cedar Point taffy, you could watch it being pulled right there. The Vanilla, Banana and Chocolate were my favorites, circa 1980’s and 1990’s. I don’t know why everything has to change and why they can’t make it the same anymore, I am sure it is a cost issue.
Used to go to CP every year as a kid/teen in the 70’s & we always bought a box to take home.
Pretty sure we probably got the taffy before corn syrup was even used. Haven’t had any in decades, but I bet it’s not quite as good as back then. Loved all the flavors, but peppermint was my least fave.
Curious if the author knows where the old machines went?