Haviland Thin Mints

Haviland Thin Mints is a long-running American confectionery brand built around a simple format: mint fondant coated in dark chocolate. The pieces are smaller, thinner, and shorter than York Peppermint Patties, giving the product a more compact, bite-sized profile while retaining the familiar contrast between a cool mint center and a chocolate shell. The brand is associated with traditional U.S. candy distribution and fundraising programs as well as ordinary retail confectionery sales. The brand’s documented history reaches back at least to the Second World War, when Haviland Thin Mints were among the candies supplied to U.S. soldiers. At that time, the product was made by Miller and Hollis. The available historical record does not establish a precise founding year, so the brand should be understood as having wartime-era origins rather than being assigned a specific launch date. Ownership and manufacturing responsibility changed several times during the second half of the twentieth century. Haviland Thin Mints and related brands were acquired by Deran in 1961. Deran was subsequently acquired by Borden in 1970, and Borden manufactured the mints for more than two decades. During the Deran and Borden periods, the product was also sold through youth fundraising activity supporting attendance at YMCA summer camp. This use connected the candy with community and youth organizations, giving the brand a role beyond conventional grocery and candy-store distribution. The brand later passed briefly to Great American Brands, an investment group. Great American Brands filed for bankruptcy in 1994, after which Haviland Thin Mints were acquired by Necco in September of the same year. Necco became the brand’s owner and manufacturer for the following period, but its closure in 2018 led to another transfer. Haviland Thin Mints, together with Mighty Malt Milk Balls, were sold to Log House Foods, a confectionery company based in Plymouth, Minnesota. Under Log House Foods, Haviland Thin Mints remain associated with the traditional chocolate-and-mint product concept. The range has also included flavored variations such as Raspberry Crème and Orange Crème, extending the brand beyond its core mint profile while preserving the coated-fondant format. Publicly available reference material does not provide reliable information about current annual sales, distribution scale, retail partners, advertising spending, or a detailed corporate organization. The brand is therefore best characterized as an active, historically established American candy label whose identity rests on a distinctive thin mint format, a long succession of owners, and continued production within the U.S. confectionery sector.

Haviland Thin Mints are a U.S. confectionery product whose recorded history extends to at least the Second World War. The candy was made by Miller and Hollis and was supplied to American soldiers during the war. Although this wartime association establishes an early presence for the brand, the available reference material does not identify a precise founding year or the circumstances of the original product launch. In 1961, Haviland Thin Mints and related brands were acquired by Deran. The product later entered the Borden portfolio when Borden acquired Deran in 1970. Borden manufactured the mints for more than twenty years. During the Deran and Borden ownership periods, the candy was sold by young people as part of fundraising efforts intended to help participants attend YMCA summer camp. This channel gave the product a distinctive community-oriented distribution history and linked it to organized youth activities. The brand was subsequently owned for a short period by Great American Brands, an investment group. Great American Brands filed for bankruptcy in 1994. In September of that year, Haviland Thin Mints were acquired by Necco, a long-established American candy manufacturer. Necco continued the product’s place in the U.S. confectionery market until the company shut down in 2018. After Necco’s closure, Haviland Thin Mints and Mighty Malt Milk Balls were sold to Log House Foods, a Minnesota-based confectionery company headquartered in Plymouth. Log House Foods is the current producer identified in the available reference material. The product’s core construction remains a mint fondant center covered in dark chocolate. Its physical format is notably smaller and thinner than a York Peppermint Pattie, making it a compact alternative within the chocolate-mint category. The brand has also been associated with flavored variants, including Raspberry Crème and Orange Crème. These variations broaden the range from the original mint profile to fruit-flavored crème centers while maintaining the general chocolate-coated candy format. No reliable source material supplied for this entry establishes detailed current distribution, sales, advertising activity, executive leadership, or international operations. Haviland Thin Mints is therefore best documented as an active American product brand with wartime origins, several historical ownership transfers, a fundraising legacy, and continued production under Log House Foods.

• 2018

  Acquisition by Log House Foods

  [1]Haviland Thin Mintsen.wikipedia.org

  Following Necco’s closure, Log House Foods acquired Haviland Thin Mints along with Mighty Malt Milk Balls.

• 1994

  Transfer from Great American Brands to Necco

  [1]Haviland Thin Mintsen.wikipedia.org

  After Great American Brands filed for bankruptcy, Necco acquired Haviland Thin Mints in September.

• 1970

  Borden ownership begins

  [1]Haviland Thin Mintsen.wikipedia.org

  Borden acquired Deran and became responsible for manufacturing the mints for more than two decades.

• 1961

  Acquisition by Deran

  [1]Haviland Thin Mintsen.wikipedia.org

  Deran acquired Haviland Thin Mints and related brands.

• Wartime supply to U.S. soldiers

  [1]Haviland Thin Mintsen.wikipedia.org

  Haviland Thin Mints were being produced by Miller and Hollis and supplied to U.S. soldiers during the Second World War, establishing the earliest documented period of the brand’s history.

A traditional American chocolate-and-mint confectionery brand distinguished by small, thin dark-chocolate-coated pieces and a long association with community fundraising.

• Chocolate-covered mint candy

  Haviland Thin Mints

  The core Haviland product is a mint fondant candy coated in dark chocolate. It is designed as a smaller, thinner, and shorter alternative to a York Peppermint Pattie, combining a firm chocolate exterior with a sweet, cooling mint center.

• Chocolate-covered flavored crème candy

  Raspberry Crème

  Raspberry Crème is a documented flavored variation within the Haviland range. It uses the brand’s general chocolate-coated format with a raspberry-flavored crème center rather than the traditional mint fondant center.

• Chocolate-covered flavored crème candy

  Orange Crème

  Orange Crème is another recorded Haviland variation. The product extends the line into citrus flavor while retaining the concept of a flavored center enclosed in a chocolate coating.

• YMCA summer camp fundraising

  United States

  During the Deran and Borden ownership periods, young people sold Haviland Thin Mints to raise money for attendance at YMCA summer camp. The activity functioned as a community fundraising channel rather than a conventional mass-media advertising campaign.

  Outcome. The fundraising program associated the brand with youth organizations and community participation.

  Source

• 2018

  Log House Foods acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Necco ceased operations in 2018, requiring the disposition of brands associated with the company.

  Action taken

  Log House Foods acquired Haviland Thin Mints and Mighty Malt Milk Balls.

  Aftermath

  The brand moved to a Minnesota-based confectionery producer and continued as an active product brand.

  Source

• 1994

  Necco acquisition after Great American Brands bankruptcyM&A

  Background

  Great American Brands, which briefly owned Haviland Thin Mints, filed for bankruptcy.

  Action taken

  Necco acquired Haviland Thin Mints in September 1994.

  Aftermath

  Necco became the brand’s owner until its 2018 shutdown.

  Source

• 1970

  Borden acquisition of DeranM&A

  Background

  Borden acquired Deran, bringing Haviland Thin Mints into Borden’s confectionery operations.

  Action taken

  Borden assumed ownership and manufactured the mints for more than twenty years.

  Aftermath

  The brand continued under Borden and remained connected with YMCA summer camp fundraising.

  Source

• 1961

  Deran acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Haviland Thin Mints and related brands were transferred to Deran as part of a corporate acquisition.

  Action taken

  Deran acquired the brand portfolio containing Haviland Thin Mints.

  Aftermath

  The transaction placed the brand under Deran before its later transfer to Borden.

  Source

1. 1Haviland Thin Mintsen.wikipedia.org