Believe it or not, there is no difference between soft stick candy and hard stick candy! Even when the package is labeled as soft stick candy. When all types of sugar stick candy are first made, they are very hard. After a certain time, usually within 1 to 3 weeks of manufacture, the candy goes through a sweat. This sweat is called a graining process in the candy industry. Water is mixed with the sugar during cooking and only part of the water is cooked out. During the graining process the candy will appear wet or damp because the water content of the candy is escaping, thus making it softer as it turns back into pure sugar. After a few days the damp appearance will be gone and the candy will be much softer. Sometimes, the same piece of candy will go through more than one sweat. This also applies to our sugar pillow puffs and cut puffs.

Normally we store our sugar based candies in our warehouse for upto 6 months before shipping it out to the stores to insure the candy will be soft. Occasionally during our busy seasons from September to January of each year we have no choice but to send the candy out just as soon as its made.

If your candy is not as soft as you like, place the unwrapped box preferrably with the lid open in a warm damp place until it softens to your liking. Then, keep the candy in a reclosable air tight container. Stick candy has a 3 year shelf life.

So you see, hard stick candy is not a type of sugar stick candy on its own, it is not a characteristic to certain brands, nor does it mean that it is old or stale. It is just the opposite, it means that it is brand new. Just like wine, it gets better with age.