A Brief History of American Licorice and their fabled Licorice Snaps

by Hannah Brelsford

Since 1914, the American Licorice Company has left its mark on the candy community in many ways. The company first started with its founder, Martin Krethcmer, in a small space that he rented in Chicago. Even today, the American Licorice Company is still family-owned, with the fifth generation currently running it.

Here's a little fun licorice trivia - The original focus and product of American Licorice were black licorice twists featured in the movie, The Gold Rush, in which Charlie Chaplin's character eats the shoe leather.

In the 1930s, they first introduced the classic beloved candy, Snaps. These chewy black licorice bites captured the hearts of the licorice community. The candies have a hole in the center and are covered in a sweet colorful candy-coating, bringing a colorful twist to the generic black licorice candy.

The candy licorice bites come in four pastel colors: green, orange, pink, and white. Each color has its unique flavor. The unique form and flavor with a traditional licorice texture was an innovative way to revamp licorice while remaining classic.

The bright colors and sweet taste also put smiles on customers' faces during the depression. During that time, you could buy a box of Snaps for 2 cents. The American Licorice Company wanted to provide consumers with good value, good candy, and fun colors during challenging economic times.

The candy was discontinued in 2001 because of decreased sales - yes, for die-hard Snaps lovers, we know that this is incredibly hard to believe -  and manufacturing complications. Soon after, there was an uproar from fans with disappointment. The American Licorice Candy decided to bring the classic candy back for loyal fans and licorice lovers. Little did they know that Licorice Snaps was a "cult candy" in the making!

The American Licorice Company is currently headquartered in Oregon with  California, Illinois, and Indiana facilities. The company also produces many other known candies like Sour Punch Straws and Red Vines, their best sellers. However, even though their best sellers are their main products, the American Licorice Company continues to respect a ninety-year and running tradition by making and selling a classic, Snaps, although they are only available for a short period each year. 

Licorice Snaps have thrived across many generations with a devoted fan base. Although the formula for our beloved Snaps was changed for a brief time in 2013, let's say that their dedicated fan base did not "welcome" this change. So, they reverted to the Original Formula and, hence, a candy classic returned that, to this day, remains unchanged and in very high demand.