Red Vines facts for kids
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Red Vines is a popular brand of red candy. It is made by the American Licorice Company in Union City, California. Even though it's called "red licorice," Red Vines Original Red Twists don't actually have any licorice root in them. The first Red Vines were raspberry-flavored. In 1952, the company changed the recipe a little. That's when the famous Red Vines Original Red Twist flavor came out.
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How Red Vines Were Developed
The American Licorice Company first made raspberry-flavored candy in the 1920s. In the 1950s, the candy's name became Red Vines. The company also changed its look to match this new name. The "Original Red" flavor soon became more popular than the traditional licorice flavor.
Making Red Vines Candy
Red Vines are made in a factory in Union City. Workers mix wheat flour, corn syrup, citric acid, flavor, and dye in large containers. This mixture is then poured into barrels to cool for a full day. After cooling, a special machine shapes the candy into its final twisty form. This factory can make a huge amount of candy. It can produce up to 1,000,000 pounds of Red Vines every week!
Red Vines and Twizzlers Rivalry
Red Vines and another candy called Twizzlers are often seen as rivals. People sometimes argue about which one tastes better. This friendly competition was even shown in an episode of the TV show Parks and Recreation. In that episode, characters had different opinions about which candy was best.
Why the Candy Rivalry Exists
A brand manager for Red Vines explained that the two candies taste and feel very different. He said that fans really drive the rivalry between Twizzlers and Red Vines. It's like a long-standing friendly competition. He thinks the rivalry is mostly about where you live. Red Vines are more popular in the western United States and near the Great Lakes. But if you go east of Denver, Colorado, fewer people know about Red Vines. Twizzlers, on the other hand, are made in Pennsylvania. They are more popular on the East Coast and in the Northeast.
August 2012 Candy Recall
In August 2012, a specific type of Red Vines candy was recalled. The California Department of Public Health announced this recall. It was for one batch of Red Vines' black licorice candy. This candy was found to have a small amount of a substance that was not safe for young children.
Details of the Recall
Only the one-pound packages of black licorice were recalled. These packages had "Best Before 020413" printed on them. Tests showed that the candy in this specific batch had more of the substance than was considered safe for children under 6 years old. Because of this, the company quickly recalled those packages to keep everyone safe.
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