Historical Licorice Facts
- Licorice twists grew out of the much older tradition of using licorice root as a flavoring and medicinal ingredient.
- Licorice root has been used for thousands of years in ancient civilizations, including Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, and India.
- Early licorice was not candy at all; it was more often used as a sweetener, tonic, or herbal remedy.
- Licorice candy appeared in Europe by the 17th century.
- One early confectionery version became popular in Holland, where licorice sweets were especially well liked.
- In England, licorice was sometimes mixed with sugar or honey to make it easier to enjoy.
- Licorice twists became part of the modern candy era as manufacturers began shaping the flavor into chewy, rope-like forms.
- The American Licorice Company was founded in 1914, and its first candy was a black licorice twist.
- Red Vines were introduced in the 1950s as a fruit-flavored twist candy, not made with licorice root.
- The public still called red twist candies “red licorice” because they resembled black licorice in shape and texture.
- Licorice ropes became popular in the 1960s as longer twist-style candies reached the market.
- Twizzlers were first produced in 1929 and became one of the best-known licorice-style twist candies in the United States.
- Over time, licorice twists became a movie-theater and snack-counter classic in American candy culture.
- Today, licorice twists are part of a long candy tradition that blends old herbal history with modern confectionery design.