Missing Sweethearts This Valentine's Day? Try Jelly Belly's 'Conversation Beans' Instead

If you've been mourning the loss of Sweethearts candies, let Jelly Belly fill the void in your heart—and stomach. Following reports that Necco's Sweethearts wouldn't be sold this year as the brand transitions to new ownership, the Jelly Belly Candy Company stepped in to save Valentine’s Day by offering boxes of "Conversation Beans."

Sure, they're more kidney- than heart-shaped, but they serve the same purpose. The beans come in five sour flavors—apple, cherry, grape, lemon, and orange—and feature a few different Valentine's Day sayings. Your classic "HUGS" and "XOXO" messages are represented, as are internet-speak acronyms like "LOL" and "ILY."

The company has also released Love Beans (heart-stamped jelly beans) and Sparkling Cupid Corn (like candy corn, but pink, red, and strawberry-flavored) in time for the holiday.

As for those Sweethearts we've all come to know and love—even if some don't actually enjoy eating them—there's hope on the horizon. The Spangler Candy Company, which now owns the rights to Necco Wafers and Sweethearts, previously released a statement indicating that Sweethearts would be back on store shelves by Valentine's Day in 2020.

However, that press release has since been removed from the company's website, and a new statement promises a Sweethearts return under more ambiguous terms. "We wish we could have Sweethearts out for the 2019 Valentine season, but it's just not possible," the company said Thursday, according to CandyStore.com. "We are committed to making sure these brands meet consumer expectations when they reenter the market. Doing it right takes time."

Until that day, there will be plenty of "SWEET" and sour conversation beans to go around.