70’s Flashback with Licorice Snaps!

CC_Snaps Title Plate

During a recent candy hunt to a dollar store, I came across a box for “Original Snaps”, a classic treat from the American Licorice Company.  I realized that this was the same company that had been making Snaps for decades and I thought a post that looked back at vintage box from my collection would be fun.

American Licorice Company is probably best-known for their classic Red Vines licorice, though today you’re as likely to identify them with their successful Sour Punch brand.

Snaps were first introduced in the 1930’s and they’ve managed to stand the test of time as evidenced by their continued availability nearly a century later.

Unfortunately I don’t have a detailed timeline of vintage packaging to share with regard to Snaps, so today it’s just a flashback to the 1970’s box in my collection contrasted with the package I recently picked up.

Here’s the 1970’s box:

American Licorice Company - Licorice Snaps - 1-1/4 oz candy box - 1976

American Licorice Company – Licorice Snaps – 1-1/4 oz candy box – 1976

In the process of looking for other Snaps material I did manage to find a 1977 trade ad in my archives featuring this same style of Snaps box along with a few other tasty American Licorice offerings:

American Licorice Company - candy trade magazine ad - March 1977

American Licorice Company – candy trade magazine ad – March 1977

Finally, here’s the current colorful Snaps box I discovered at retail:

American Licorice Company - Snaps - original bit-size licorice pieces - candy box - July 2013

American Licorice Company – Snaps – original bit-size licorice pieces – candy box – July 2013

And that’s everything for this fun 70’s Flashback.  See you next time!

About Jason Liebig

A New York City based writer, editor and sometimes actor. After spending much of the 1990′s in the comic book business helping tell the stories of Marvel Comics’ X-Men as series editor, he has since split his time between developing his own entertainment properties while still consulting and working on others. Having been described as “the Indiana Jones of lost and forgotten candy”, Jason is one of the country’s premier candy collectors and historians with his discoveries appearing in countless blogs, magazines, newspaper articles, and books. Always happy to share his knowledge and unique perspectives on this colorful part of our popular culture, Jason has consulted with New York’s Museum of Food and Drink and has also been a featured guest on Food Network’s Heavyweights, France’s M6 Capital, and New York’s TheActionRoom.com. My Google Profile+
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4 Responses to 70’s Flashback with Licorice Snaps!

  1. Reggie says:

    But Wait… How did the new ones taste?! Same as way back when?? I noticed that Corn Syrup is now the #1 ingredient – Back in the day it was #5!

  2. Dave S. says:

    Cool boxes! I ate some Snaps, recently. They taste the same (to me) as they did a long time ago. Love that trade ad! Gosh, i remember those long licorice ropes. This is fun thinking back! Thanks for the memories, bud. :o)

  3. Dave S. says:

    Good point, Reg! I would say the taste is very similar (from what i remember). I recently tried both boxed and bulk versions. When i tasted them, they really brought me back…
    I thought there was Anise in them, but i guess not.

  4. Brandon says:

    Snaps used to have a character on the packaging — at least in the 1990s. I’ll get you a photo of it when I can get to it.

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