Despite being sold under the liquorice name, Red Vines contain no liquorice root at all. The twisted rope shape is the only thing they share with the black liquorice sold next to them.
The American Licorice Company's History
The American Licorice Company was founded in Chicago in 1914 and remains family-owned today, now based in California. Red Vines followed in the 1950s as the company's red, cherry-flavoured twist, sold alongside its traditional black liquorice ropes.
Why \"Liquorice\" Without Liquorice
In American confectionery, any twisted rope-shaped chewy candy tends to get called liquorice regardless of what is actually in it. The black version genuinely uses liquorice root extract or anise for its flavour, while the red version relies entirely on fruit flavouring, historically cherry, with the liquorice name surviving purely because of the shape.
Red vs Black Liquorice
- Black liquorice — flavoured with real liquorice root extract or anise, giving it its distinctive bitter-sweet taste.
- Red \"liquorice\" — flavoured with fruit syrups such as cherry, with no liquorice ingredient at all.
- Shared shape — both are extruded into the same twisted rope, which is where the shared naming comes from.
If you want the real thing, browse our liquorice range, or find Red Vines itself among our American candy and snacks.
Frequently asked questions
Are Red Vines a type of liquorice?
Red Vines are marketed as liquorice-style candy for their twisted rope shape, but the red variety contains no liquorice extract at all. It is a cherry-flavoured chewy candy, unlike traditional black liquorice.
Who makes Red Vines?
Red Vines have been made by the American Licorice Company since the 1950s, a family-owned confectioner founded in Chicago in 1914.
What is the difference between Red Vines and black liquorice?
Black liquorice gets its flavour from liquorice root extract, while red liquorice-style candies like Red Vines use fruit flavourings such as cherry, with no liquorice root involved at all.