The Controversial Candy Bar That Satisfied John Wayne's Sweet Tooth

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John Wayne may be remembered as one of Hollywood's most famous cowboys, appearing in 185 films and TV shows, including "Rio Bravo," "True Grit," and "The Shootist," but underneath it all, the actor had quite the sweet tooth. In fact, candy was one of the four types of food John Wayne loved to eat, even though the actor has a casserole named after him. His daughter, Marisa Wayne, told Closer Weekly: "He used to keep a stash of Abba-Zaba taffy in his drawer."

Abba-Zaba isn't a name that's usually mentioned in the 2020s alongside popular candies like Snickers and Kit Kats, but it has held its place in the candy industry for over a century. The candy combines soft, chewy taffy with a creamy peanut-butter center, making a distinct pairing that sets itself apart from other chocolate-focused candies on the market. 

However, the candy's early days are anything but sweet. The original wrappers that hit shelves in 1922 featured racially insensitive illustrations of what appeared to be two African tribesmen standing in a jungle, holding spears and wearing grass skirts, making Abba-Zaba an old-school candy brand that was seriously controversial. The packaging remained on shelves for nearly three decades, finally being scrapped in the 1950s for the black-and-yellow checkerboard wrappers still used today.

Abba-Zaba's history stretches back to 1922, when candy manufacturers Colby and McDermott  introduced the candy bar. Manufacturing of the bar changed hands a few times before the Bay Area's Annabelle Candy Co. purchased the brand in 1978. In 2024, after facing financial hardships from rising costs and the need for investments to keep the seven-decade-old facility running, the company closed its factory. Pittsburgh-based Promise Confections, Annabelle's parent company, took over production.

Abba-Zaba remains on physical and digital shelves today and has even tried to expand its profiles with a peanut butter and jelly flavor and a sour apple bar. Unfortunately, the latter didn't go over so well with consumers. Candycritic.org reported, "The original Abba-Zaba got great marks for originality, and better yet, it didn't taste too bad either. But this variation does not make any sense to me at all." While that version no longer exists, the classic peanut butter and chocolate combination is still available, including online from Amazon or Target.