Heath toffee, which has provided the crunch in several different Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavors over the years, has its origins in Robinson, Illinois, where in 1914 the Heath Brothers Confectionary was established. Originally offering ice cream, fountain drinks, and a variety of handmade candies, the confectionary was a popular stopping place for salesmen in the Midwest, one of which would fatefully share a recipe for toffee with them one day. After many months of trial and error, the family-owned business developed their own formulation of the tasty confection, which they began selling in 1928. A few years later, the increasingly popular candy began to go national, and, despite the Depression, sales of Heath toffee flourished. Today, the Heath name is owned by the Hershey candy company, which has been responsible for producing the crunchy, sweet toffee since 1997.