Hollywood Candy Company
Corporate brand
UnclaimedHollywood Candy Company was an American confectionery manufacturer whose Hollywood Brands portfolio included Zero and PayDay.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Hollywood Candy Company was an American confectionery business established in Hollywood, Carver County, Minnesota, in the early twentieth century. Its roots lay in Frank Martoccio's F.A. Martoccio Macaroni Company. In 1911, Martoccio acquired the former Pratt and Langhoft candy factory after initially seeking only a replacement machine for equipment that had burned at his macaroni plant. The purchase brought the entire confectionery operation into his business and led to the development of a separate candy enterprise. The company expanded through acquisition and product development. In 1927, Martoccio bought the Pendergast Candy Company of Minneapolis. Pendergast had developed a light, aerated nougat during the 1920s, reportedly after an accidental overuse of eggs in a German-style dark nougat recipe. The technique informed products such as Fat Emma and helped establish the broader nougat-centered candy-bar format that became important in the American market. In 1933, the business adopted the name Hollywood Brands, although the Hollywood Candy Company name continued to describe the enterprise. A major technical distinction was the company's development of a synthetic coating intended to resist melting in warm weather. This feature was especially associated with the Zero bar and helped the company sell candy in hot regions before widespread air conditioning and modern temperature-controlled distribution. Hollywood also emphasized comparatively high-cost ingredients, including cocoa butter and eggs, while competing on price. A historical account cited three-cent milk chocolate bars in 1955, compared with five cents for a Hershey bar, although the formulation and pricing practices changed after the company was sold. The company moved its manufacturing operation from Minnesota to Centralia, Illinois, in 1938. During the 1950s it supported Zero with a highly distinctive promotional vehicle: a Crosley Super Sport painted to resemble the bar's silver-and-blue wrapper. The vehicle was used in traveling advertising appearances, including a performer portraying a character called Zero. This helped turn the product's name and package design into a recognizable regional marketing identity. Hollywood's portfolio included chocolate-covered and non-chocolate-coated bars built around nougat, caramel, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, coconut, and malt flavoring. In addition to Zero and PayDay, its historical products included Butter-Nut, Milkshake, Hollywood, Big Time, Red Sails, Smooth Sailin, 747, Almond, Swinger, Buccaneers, Treasure Bar, Nut Sundae Bar, Sno King, Teddy Bear, Nut Patti, Tafy Nut or Tofy-Nut, 3 Big Bears, and Top Star. Some products were short-lived or regionally distributed, while Zero and PayDay had much longer commercial lives. The Martoccio family sold Hollywood Brands to Consolidated Foods in 1967. Consolidated Foods later became associated with the Sara Lee corporate structure. The Centralia plant was destroyed by fire in 1980, marking the end of the company's historic manufacturing presence there. Hollywood Brands was acquired by Leaf Candy Company in 1988, and Leaf was acquired by The Hershey Company in 1996. The independent Hollywood Candy Company therefore no longer operates as a standalone confectionery manufacturer, although successor owners continued producing or owning certain products associated with its portfolio, notably Zero and PayDay. The brand is best understood as a historical American candy company and a source of enduring confectionery trademarks rather than as an active independent corporate brand.
History
Hollywood Candy Company originated in Hollywood, Carver County, Minnesota, through Frank Martoccio's expansion from macaroni manufacturing into confectionery. In 1911, Martoccio purchased the defunct Pratt and Langhoft Candy factory. His initial objective had been to obtain a replacement machine for equipment lost in a fire at his macaroni plant, but he was persuaded to buy the complete facility and enter the candy business. The confectionery operation was formally established as the Hollywood Candy Company in 1912. The business grew through product experimentation and acquisitions. During the early 1920s, the Pendergast Candy Company developed an airy nougat after an accidental excess of eggs altered a batch of German-style dark nougat. Pendergast used the result in its walnut-flavored Fat Emma bar. Martoccio later acquired Pendergast in 1927, and the enlarged enterprise adopted the Hollywood Brands name in 1933. The company's products occupied the increasingly competitive American candy-bar market, where combinations of nougat, caramel, chocolate, and nuts were becoming popular. Hollywood was particularly associated with the Zero bar, introduced in 1920. Its pale coating and silver-and-blue packaging gave it a distinctive appearance, while the coating was designed to remain stable in warm temperatures. That technical feature helped the company sell candy in southern markets at a time when air conditioning was not widespread. The company also claimed a quality-oriented approach based on ingredients such as real cocoa butter and eggs. At the same time, it competed at accessible price points; a historical account records three-cent milk chocolate bars in 1955, compared with five cents for a Hershey bar, though that pricing and formulation did not continue after the 1967 sale. The company relocated to Centralia, Illinois, in 1938. Centralia became the principal setting for the business's manufacturing and local identity. In the 1950s, Hollywood used an unusual mobile advertising campaign for Zero: a Crosley Super Sport was decorated to imitate the candy bar's wrapper and driven around by a performer presented as the character Zero. This form of vehicle-based promotion connected the product name, package colors, and theatrical entertainment. Hollywood's historical range was broad. Butter-Nut, dating from 1916, became notable in part because the company successfully defended its use of the name in a legal challenge involving a chocolate bar. Zero combined a distinctive coating with candy-bar fillings. Milkshake used malt flavoring in a format comparable to other nougat bars, while PayDay paired caramel nougat with whole peanuts. Other products included Hollywood, Big Time, Red Sails, Smooth Sailin, 747, Almond, Swinger, Buccaneers, Treasure Bar, Nut Sundae Bar, Sno King, Teddy Bear, Nut Patti, Tafy Nut or Tofy-Nut, 3 Big Bears, and Top Star. Many of these products were historical offerings rather than long-running national brands. In 1967, the Martoccio family sold Hollywood Brands to Consolidated Foods. Consolidated Foods later became part of the corporate history associated with Sara Lee. The Centralia plant was destroyed by fire in 1980. Hollywood Brands was acquired by Leaf Candy Company in 1988, and The Hershey Company acquired Leaf in 1996. These transactions ended Hollywood's existence as an independent confectionery company. However, products linked to its portfolio, particularly Zero and PayDay, continued under successor ownership. Hollywood Candy Company is consequently remembered both for its historical manufacturing operation and for candy brands that outlasted the original company.
- 1996
Leaf acquired by The Hershey Company
[1]The Hershey Company acquired Leaf Candy Company, bringing associated continuing products under Hershey ownership.
- 1988
Acquired by Leaf Candy Company
[1]Hollywood Brands became part of Leaf Candy Company.
- 1980
Centralia plant destroyed
[1]A fire destroyed the Centralia manufacturing plant.
- 1967
Sold to Consolidated Foods
[1]The Martoccio family sold Hollywood Brands to Consolidated Foods.
- 1938
Production moves to Centralia, Illinois
[1]The company transferred its manufacturing operation from Minnesota to Centralia, Illinois.
- 1933
Company renamed Hollywood Brands
[1]Following the Pendergast acquisition, the business changed its name to Hollywood Brands.
- 1932
PayDay introduced
[1]PayDay was introduced as a caramel-and-nougat bar covered with whole peanuts.
- 1927
Pendergast Candy Company purchased
[1]Frank Martoccio acquired Pendergast Candy Company of Minneapolis, adding its nougat expertise and product history.
- 1920
Zero introduced
[1]The company introduced Zero, a candy bar distinguished by its light-colored heat-resistant coating and silver-and-blue wrapper.
- 1916
Butter-Nut introduced
[1]Butter-Nut became one of the company's early named confectionery products and was later involved in a successful legal defense of its name.
Products and positioning
A value-oriented American candy manufacturer that combined distinctive bar recipes, nut and nougat inclusions, heat-resistant coatings, recognizable package design, and regional promotional merchandising.
Candy bar · 1920
Zero
Introduced in 1920, Zero was distinguished by a pale synthetic coating designed to resist melting in warm conditions. Its silver wrapper with prominent blue-and-silver lettering gave it a strong visual identity. The bar became the best-known product associated with Hollywood Brands and continued under successor ownership after the original company was sold.
Peanut and caramel bar · 1932
PayDay
Introduced in 1932, PayDay combined caramel nougat with whole peanuts. Its nut-forward construction differed from fully chocolate-coated bars and became one of the company's most durable product concepts. The brand continued after Hollywood Brands passed through Consolidated Foods, Leaf, and Hershey ownership.
Chocolate bar · 1916
Butter-Nut
Butter-Nut was an early Hollywood confectionery product dating from 1916. The company successfully defended its use of the name in a legal dispute concerning a chocolate bar, making the product notable in the company's trademark history as well as its product history.
Nougat candy bar · 1927
Milkshake
Milkshake was introduced in 1927 and used malt flavoring in a format comparable to the nougat-centered chocolate bars popular in the period. It represented Hollywood's effort to differentiate a familiar candy-bar structure through flavor rather than through an entirely new format.
Chocolate-covered candy bar
Hollywood
The Hollywood bar combined dark chocolate coating with caramel, nougat, and peanuts. It was part of the company's broader range of layered and nut-containing bars marketed under names connected with the Hollywood Brands identity.
Peanut and nougat candy bar
Big Time
Big Time was described as a Milkshake-style bar with peanuts. Its purple wrapper and large product name were part of the varied package designs used across Hollywood Brands' historical portfolio.
Walnut nougat candy bar
Smooth Sailin
Smooth Sailin used a dark chocolate coating around walnut-flavored nougat. Its blue wrapper featuring silver sailboats gave the product a maritime visual theme distinct from the Zero and Hollywood packages.
Chocolate, peanut, and nougat bar
Teddy Bear
Teddy Bear was listed among Hollywood's historical candy bars and combined peanuts, chocolate, and nougat. It exemplified the company's use of familiar American candy-bar ingredients in multiple branded combinations.
Almond and chocolate nougat bar
Nut Patti
Nut Patti combined almonds, chocolate, and nougat. The product belonged to Hollywood's assortment of nut-based bars, alongside peanut, walnut, and mixed-nut offerings.
Coconut, caramel, and nougat bar
Top Star
Top Star used coconut, caramel, and nougat in a layered confectionery bar. It was one of several less enduring products that broadened the company's historical range beyond its flagship Zero and PayDay offerings.
Marketing campaigns
- 1950Zero Crosley promotional car
United States · especially regional and southern markets
During the 1950s, Hollywood used a Crosley Super Sport painted to resemble the Zero wrapper as a mobile advertising display. A performer presented as the character Zero drove the vehicle, turning the bar's name and distinctive package design into a live promotional attraction.
Outcome. The campaign reinforced Zero's visual identity and gave Hollywood Brands an unusual form of traveling product publicity.
Brand decisions
1996
Leaf Candy Company acquired by The Hershey CompanyM&ABackground
Leaf Candy Company owned Hollywood Brands after its 1988 acquisition.
Action taken
The Hershey Company acquired Leaf Candy Company.
Aftermath
Hollywood's continuing product legacy, including Zero and PayDay, became associated with Hershey rather than with an independent Hollywood Candy Company.
1988
Transfer Hollywood Brands to Leaf Candy CompanyM&ABackground
Hollywood Brands was operating within the broader corporate confectionery landscape following its Consolidated Foods ownership.
Action taken
Leaf Candy Company acquired Hollywood Brands.
Aftermath
The company's surviving product associations moved into Leaf's portfolio and subsequently into Hershey ownership.
1967
Sell Hollywood Brands to Consolidated FoodsM&ABackground
After decades of family ownership and operation, the Martoccio family exited the business.
Action taken
Hollywood Brands was sold to Consolidated Foods.
Aftermath
The company ceased to be an independent family-controlled confectionery business and later became part of corporate succession involving Sara Lee and Leaf Candy Company.
1927
Acquire Pendergast Candy CompanyM&ABackground
Pendergast had developed an airy nougat and used it in its Fat Emma bar.
Action taken
Frank Martoccio purchased Pendergast Candy Company of Minneapolis.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded Hollywood's confectionery capabilities and preceded the 1933 adoption of the Hollywood Brands name.
1911
Enter confectionery manufacturing through a full-factory acquisitionStrategyBackground
Frank Martoccio initially sought a replacement machine for his macaroni business after an equipment fire, but the opportunity to acquire the entire Pratt and Langhoft plant led him into candy manufacturing.
Action taken
He purchased the defunct candy factory and developed a confectionery operation that became Hollywood Candy Company.
Aftermath
The acquisition created the foundation for the company's later product portfolio and expansion.
Sources1 sources
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