The Discontinued Chocolate Bar With A Slightly Confusing Name

When you're craving chocolate, sweets like Hershey bars, Snickers, and Milky Ways are probably what come to mind. However, some of us might think of discontinued chocolate bars from bygone eras, instead. America has a long history of defunct candy bars, many of which were beloved favorites in their day (and are now sorely missed). One of these sweets is the Seven Up bar.

If the name has you thinking that this candy bar tastes like lemon-lime 7Up soda, think again. This chocolate treat, which was produced by the Pearson Candy Company, actually got its name because it was divided into seven squares, or "pillows," as the company called them. Each square was stuffed with its own unique filling, and the flavors would sometimes change, adding to the fun of eating this all-in-one candy.

The Seven Up bar debuted in the 1930s, and was quite popular during its lifetime. Sadly, in 1979, the candy bar was discontinued, due to trademark disputes with the soda brand American Bottling Company (the owner of 7Up soda, now called Keurig Dr Pepper). 7Up's origin story began in the 1920's, giving it seniority. Additionally, the cost to produce the chocolate bar had risen considerably, which also contributed to its demise.

The Seven Up bar had a wide range of fillings during its lifespan, and Pearson Candy Company changed up the default set a few times. A few of the most common repeating flavors were Brazil nut, butterscotch, coconut, caramel, fudge, buttercream, cherry cream, and orange jelly. This lineup is often named as the default flavor range for the bar. Other fillings over the years included nougat, mint, and maple. You could eat each "pillow" on its own or combine it with others, creating a unique combination of flavorful fillings against the backdrop of the chocolate.

Speaking of the chocolate, Seven Up bars came in both milk chocolate and a dark chocolate variant that was much less common. The dark chocolate likely provided a richer, deeper cacao flavor to contrast with the sweet fillings. Whichever variety you went with, it wasn't a complete mystery what you were biting into — the candy wrappers stated which flavors the bar contained.

Pearson Candy Company wasn't the only brand that made a many-flavored bar. A similar option was Fry's Five Centers, which contained squares of filled chocolate in five flavors. This was sort of like the U.K. equivalent of the Seven Up bar, but it was very fruit-focused, with filling flavors including orange, lime, strawberry, pineapple, and raspberry. Sadly, this chocolate bar was also eventually discontinued, although it survived a little longer than Seven Up, remaining on shelves until 1992.

While Seven Up and Fry's Five Centers might be candy bars you'll never eat, there are alternatives out there. One option that you can still get your hands on is the Sky Bar. Originally made by Necco, this bar has four filled squares featuring caramel, vanilla, peanut, and fudge. The Sky Bar was actually discontinued in 2018, but after changing ownership, it was relaunched a year later, and might be available in candy stores near you. Whether you're missing the Seven Up bar or feeling curious enough to try a taste-alike, this substitute could do you right, even if it's not identical.