According to the Candy Wrapper Museum, the first Abba Zaba bars were manufactured in 1922 by Colby and McDermott.[1] Before Annabelle Candy Co. started manufacturing Abba-Zaba, the packaging featured racist imagery.[2][3] Annabelle Candy Co. will only say that the wrapper has been the same for as long as they have manufactured the candy.[citation needed] The bar was later manufactured by the Cardinet Candy Co. along with U-No Bar. Annabelle Candy purchased the Cardinet Candy Co. in 1978. Annabelle now manufactures both candy bars in addition to others.[4]
Abba-Zaba bars can be found almost exclusively west of the Rockies.[5] The wrapper features a yellow and black checkerboard "taxi" pattern since the 1950s.[6] They can be purchased in bulk on the web. They can also be found in candy specialty stores anywhere in the US and Canada.[citation needed]
In 2005, Annabelle introduced an apple-flavored taffy variant of Abba-Zaba.[7] There is also a new bar that has a chocolate taffy and contains chocolate spread and peanut butter.[citation needed]
The bar was a favorite of rock musician Don Van Vliet, who is best known by his stage name Captain Beefheart. He used the bar's name as a song title on his album Safe as Milk in 1967. Artwork on the rear album sleeve also features a black and yellow checkerboard pattern inspired by the Abba-Zaba wrapper.
