The History of Red Vines

In 1914, Martin Kretchmer rented a small space in Chicago with his son and son-in-law to start a candy company. Their first product was the Black Licorice Twist, which is still made today. In 1925, Martin’s son, Clarence, went to California to headed up manufacturing there. Silent film star Charlie Chaplin asked the company to create a licorice shoe, which he famously ate in the classic film, The Gold Rush. Throughout the Great Depression, the Kretchmers continued making candy and shipping it to customers. In the 1950s, they expanded beyond black licorice offerings with the introduction of Raspberry Vines, which were red twists made with fruit flavoring instead of licorice root extract. The public began calling them “red licorice” since they looked similar to the black licorice ropes that the company had long been offering. Over time, they became known as Red Vines. In 1963, the company’s 34-inch-long Red Ropes and Licorice Ropes, marketed as Super Ropes, became the longest pieces of licorice to hit the market to date. In the 1970s, the company introduced flavored licorice, including grape-flavored Purple Vines, peppermint-flavored Green Vines, and even Chocolate Vines! Known as the American Licorice Company by the early 1980s, the Kretchmer’s family-owned operation began packaging Red Vines in their now-iconic, eye-catching knob-topped jar early in the decade. In 2017, they rolled out a non-GMO version of Red Vines called Red Vines Made Simple; they are made with only 5 ingredients. Today, Red Vines remain a favorite treat for many families all across America.