Elevated risk U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Gardners Candies Chocolate Candy Bars recall: Undeclared Tree Nuts (Cashews)

Recall published 1+ years ago

Undeclared Tree Nuts (Cashews)

Gardners Candies Candy & chocolate — recalled candy & chocolateGardners Candies Candy & chocolate — recalled candy & chocolate (photo 2)
2 photos published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the recall notice.

The hazard: Undeclared peanuts or tree nuts

This recall is a labelling failure: peanuts or tree nuts is present and the label does not say so. That is harmless to most households and genuinely dangerous to a few.

What the notice says: People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to tree nuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

Why it matters: The label does not declare peanuts or tree nuts, so anyone who reads labels to avoid it has no way of knowing it is in there. For people without that allergy the product is safe to eat.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

An undeclared allergen is a danger only to people allergic or intolerant to that ingredient. For everyone else the food is safe. Reactions range from an itchy mouth, hives, stomach cramps or vomiting through to anaphylaxis — swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, a tight chest, wheezing, a sudden drop in blood pressure or collapse. If anaphylaxis is suspected, use an epinephrine auto-injector straight away and call 911, even if the symptoms seem to settle, because a second wave can follow hours later.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Published
December 27, 2024
Risk level
Elevated risk
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
Gardners Candies
Product type
Candy & chocolate
Distribution
Nationwide
Reports of harm
No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

Products covered by this recall

Chocolate Candy Bars

What the company announced

Gardners Candies of Tyrone, PA is recalling its 1.25 ounce packages of Gardners Candies brand Cappuccino Meltaway® Bars because they may contain undeclared tree nuts (cashews). People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to tree nuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

The recalled products were distributed nationwide beginning on 09/01/2024 via retail stores and through mail orders via www.GardnersCandies.com .

The recalled Gardners Candies brand Cappuccino Meltaway Bars are packaged in a 1.25 ounce (35g), white plastic package marked with lot # 082725 stamped along the side which also serves as the expiration date 08/27/25. This product can also be found in Gardners Meltaway Treat Box marked with lot # 101625 or 112525. Each Meltaway Treat Box includes 2 Cappuccino Meltaway Bars along with other flavors of bars packaged together in a generic holiday box.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the tree nut-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of tree nuts. Subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by a temporary breakdown in the company's production and packaging processes.

Production of the product has been suspended until the company is certain that the problem has been corrected.

Consumers who have purchased 1.25 oz. packages of Cappuccino Meltaway Bars or Meltaway Treat Boxes are urged to call the Gardners Candies corporate office for a replacement. Consumers with questions may contact the company Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM (ET) at 1-800-242-2639.

Reproduced from the company announcement posted on fda.gov. Links and contact forms in the original are not repeated here; the official notice below has them.

Check your product

The notice names 6 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

Lot or batch code

Usually ink-stamped near the seam, the cap or the bottom of the pack.

  • 082725
  • 101625
  • 112525

Best-by / use-by date

Printed beside the lot code, not on the price sticker.

  • 08/27/25

Package size

Match the net weight or the piece count on the front of the pack.

  • 1.25 ounce
  • 1.25 oz

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Company recall announcements notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Nuts

Gardners Candies — This recall is a labelling failure: peanuts or tree nuts is present and the label does not say so. That is harmless to most households and genuinely dangerous to a few.

  1. If anyone in your household avoids peanuts or tree nuts, stop serving the product immediately and check whether any was used in food already prepared.
  2. If a reaction has already happened, report it to the FDA through its consumer complaint coordinator so the case is attached to this recall.
  3. Tell anyone else who eats from your kitchen, including childminders, schools and anyone catering an event you contributed to.
  4. Keep the pack if you want a refund, or photograph the label and the lot code and then bin it. If nobody in the house avoids peanuts or tree nuts, you may simply eat it — the recall is about disclosure, not spoilage.

How to get your money back

Food recalls carry a full refund, and in the United States you usually do not need the receipt or the packaging.

  • Take the product, or your photo of the label, to the customer service desk of the store where you bought it. Nearly every national grocer refunds recalled food on the spot.
  • Bought it online? Open the order in your account and use the refund option; marketplace sellers are required to honour a federal recall.
  • If the store refuses, contact the recalling company using the details on this page. The firm, not the shop, carries the cost of a recall.
  • If you have a loyalty card, the retailer can look the purchase up in your history — Kroger, Costco and Walmart all do this routinely.

Remedy named in the notice: Consumers who have purchased 1.25 oz. packages of Cappuccino Meltaway Bars or Meltaway Treat Boxes are urged to call the Gardners Candies corporate office for a replacement.

Company contact: Gardners Candies, Inc. — Consumers: 1-800-242-2639 — Media: Laura Webster, 814-684-3925

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the FDA — Company recall announcements record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Gardners Candies candy & chocolate recalled?

Undeclared Tree Nuts (Cashews) People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to tree nuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: lot code 082725, 101625, 112525; best-by date 08/27/25. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

What should I do with it right now?

If anyone in your household avoids peanuts or tree nuts, stop serving the product immediately and check whether any was used in food already prepared.

Can I get my money back?

The notice says: Consumers who have purchased 1.25 oz. packages of Cappuccino Meltaway Bars or Meltaway Treat Boxes are urged to call the Gardners Candies corporate office for a replacement.

Where was the recalled product sold?

It was distributed nationwide.

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