Andes Chocolate Mints

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Andes Mints
Product typeConfectionery
OwnerTootsie Roll Industries
CountryUnited States
Introduced1950; 74 years ago (1950)
MarketsUnited States
Websitewww.tootsie.com/candy/andes/andes-mints

Andes Chocolate Mints are small rectangular candies. The crème de menthe variety consists of one mint-green layer sandwiched in between two cocoa based chocolate flavored layers. The candies are usually wrapped in green foil and imprinted with the company's logo, the word Andes written amidst a drawing of snow-capped peaks. First launched in 1950, they are produced by Tootsie Roll Industries and made in Delavan, Wisconsin.

History[edit]

In 1921, Andrew Kanelos opened a small candy store in Chicago, Illinois.[1][2] While he initially called his store "Andy's Candies" in reference to himself, Kanelos realised that his predominantly male customers did not like giving boxes of candy with another man's name to their wives and girlfriends.[2] As such, he changed the spelling of the business to "Andes Candies."[3] The mints were first launched in 1950. In 1980, Andes was purchased by the Swiss candy company Interfood (later Jacobs Suchard). When Jacobs Suchard bought Brach's in 1987, Andes became part of that division. When Jacobs Suchard was sold to Kraft General Foods in 1990, Brach's was kept separate by owner Klaus J. Jacobs.[4] In need of cash, Brach's sold Andes to Tootsie Roll Industries in 2000.[5] They are made in Delavan, Wisconsin.

In the United States, Andes mints are a popular after-dinner mint and are often distributed at restaurants, particularly Olive Garden.[6] The mint used at Olive Garden is a special flavor manufactured exclusively for the restaurant chain, but it is tastewise similar to the Mint Parfait flavor, containing the same layers, but at different ratios.[7]

Construction[edit]

Andes are a rectangular, thin chocolate bite. The crème de menthe variety consists of three layers: two cocoa-based layers with green mint in the middle.[8] The candies are usually wrapped in green foil and imprinted with the company's logo, the word Andes written amidst a drawing of snow-capped peaks. The most common Andes mint is 1.5 × 0.75 × 0.25 inches, weighs 4.75 grams, and contains 25 Calories.

Other flavors[edit]

  • Amaretto (discontinued)
  • Cherry Jubilee
  • Mint Parfait
  • Toffee Crunch
  • Peppermint Crunch (offered seasonally)
  • Chocolatey Orange
  • Milk Chocolatey
  • Mint Cookie Crunch

In 2007, the Andes Limited Edition Dessert Indulgence array was introduced. It offered an assortment of three new flavors:[9]

  • Raspberry Cream
  • Lemon Meringue
  • Key Lime

Spinoffs[edit]

Andes Mints have been used in several other products including baking chips, ice cream, cookies, and cake rolls.[10][11][12] Several fast food and fast casual chains have offered Andes Mints in some of their offerings including: Jack in the Box milkshakes, Arby's milkshakes, as a Caribou Coffee cooler and as a featured topping in the topping bar at Yogurtland.[13] The baking chips were introduced in the autumn of 2003 and include the mints' original design.[14] They also have multiple special edition products.[15][16]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ SouthFloridaReporter.com (2020-02-19). "Frango Mints, Patented In 1918 , Were Sold Frozen To Emphasize The Sharp Mint Flavor". South Florida Reporter. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  2. ^ a b Tribune, Joan Giangrasse Kates, Special to the. "George Andrew Kanelos, 1929–2010: Brought father's Andes Candies to the masses". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ George Andrew Kanelos, 1929–2010: Brought father’s Andes Candies to the masses. Chicago tribune Archived 2013-12-12 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ jlt (2011-05-24). "History of… Andes Creme de Menthe". Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  5. ^ "You Can Now Buy Giant Andes Mint Candy Bars". KJRH. 2020-03-12. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  6. ^ Ashe, Stephanie. "11 surprising things you didn't know about Olive Garden". Insider. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  7. ^ Hernon, Peter; Schwartz, Candy (September 2006). "Now you see it, now you don't". Library & Information Science Research. 28 (3): 347–348. doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2006.06.004. ISSN 0740-8188.
  8. ^ "You Can Get a 5-Pound Bag of Andes Crème De Menthe Thins on Amazon". Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  9. ^ "Andes Mints & Dessert Indulgence – Candy Blog". Archived from the original on 2010-02-04. Retrieved 2012-01-02.
  10. ^ "Good Day Atlanta Viewer Information: March 5, 2020". FOX 5 Atlanta. 2020-03-05. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  11. ^ "You Can Buy A Giant Andes Mint Ice Cream Sandwich Full Of Andes Mint Pieces". Bustle. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  12. ^ "This Andes Crème de Menthe Ice Cream Sandwich Is the Mint Chocolate Treat We've Been Waiting for". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  13. ^ "Lulu's St. Patty's Day Chocolate Mint Cake". wbir.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  14. ^ In the decade following Andy's death (1959), the company was moved from Chicago to Delavan, Wisconsin. At the time, it was decided to close the retail side of the company and make only the Creme de Menthes for wholesale. The company was sold to Jakob Suchard in the 1980s before being acquired by its current owner."Tootsie Roll Industries – Andes". Tootsie Roll Industries. 2006.
  15. ^ Miller, Korin (2020-03-16). "This Giant Andes Creme De Menthe Bar Is A Mint Chocolate Lover's Dream Come True". Delish. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  16. ^ "Andes Crème de Menthe Has a Valentine's Day Box With Two Types of the Chocolate Thins". www.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Andes Chocolate Mints.
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