• The Boston Globe, Tuesday, October 25, 2011 10:29 AM

New England Confectionery Co. tied to make a health-conscious Necco wafer with things like cabbage and beets for coloring and natural sweetening. Necco wafer sales fell 35%. “There were stacks and stacks of letters and emails that said, ‘Why did you do this? You ruined it,’’’ recalled Steve Ornell, Necco’s vice president of sales.

Less than two years after going all natural, the Revere, Mass., company has gone back to its original recipe in hopes of recouping lost sales and loyal fans of the 164-year-old candy. The chalky, sugary candy that comes in eight colors is once again made of artificial dyes and flavors.

Said Steve Almond, author of Candyfreak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America, about bright colors and lots of sugar, “And even when it comes to adults, candy remains a childish pleasure. There’s a big nostalgia element here, as well. If you loved Neccos as an old-time candy, the idea of an updated version feels wrong.’’

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