Mallo Cups: The World's First "Cup" Candy!

There's nothing quite like the Mallo Cup!

History of the Mallo Cup

When you you hear "cup candy," what comes to mind?

Probably...a Reese's Cup. And we don't blame you––those are delicious.

But Reese's Cups weren't the first cup-shaped candy! That title goes to the Mallo Cup–– a coconut-y, chocolate-covered marshmallow candy that comes in bright yellow packaging.

The Mallo Cup was invented by the Boyer Brothers in the 1930s. They were looking for a way to make ends meet during the Great Depression––so they decided to start selling candy out of their own kitchen!

Naturally, the business started small. With the help of their family, they made fudge and nut clusters. They would go door to door in their hometown of Altoona, PA and sell their sweets.

Fortunately, the brother's business was a success. 

As the demand for their candy grew, they started getting creative. They wanted to do something no one had done before––like cover marshmallow with chocolate. They struggled to get it right...the candy just wouldn't hold together. That is until their sister, Emily, offered a solution: put the chocolate-covered marshmallow in a paper cup. And the rest is history!

The Boyer Brothers took their little business and turned it into a big candy company. After moving out of their kitchen and into a real candy-making facility, they added new flavors to their roster (but they kept the"cup" theme, of course!)

Mallo Money 

If you remember the Mallo Cup from your childhood, you probably have fond memories of the "Play Money" program that the Boyer Brothers introduced. 

Inside each Mallo Cup wrapper, you'd find "money"––a cardboard insert with a coin printed on it. Each coin was worth a different amount, with values ranging from 5 cents to a dollar. 

Do you remember the thrill of unwrapping your Mallo Cup to see how much money you got? 

Kids would stockpile their Mallo Money, and there was a pretty great incentive. If you saved up $10, you could send your money in for a whole CASE of Mallo Cups. It was every kid's dream! 

Mallo Cups Today 

Mallo Cups are no longer owned by the Boyer family, but the company who bought them kept the name, the taste, and the nostalgia intact. 

Did you know that Mallo Money still exists, too? 

Coins are still printed inside of Mallo Cup wrappers, and once you earn enough "money," you can redeem them for cool Boyer merchandise like hats, mugs and t-shirts. Free candy is still an option, too! 

Now that you've taken a walk down memory lane...are you wishing you had a bite of this classic marshmallow treat? 

Click here to get a Mallo Cup! 

P.S... Do you have any Mallo Cup memories? We'd love to hear them in the comments!