- Published: Friday, February 05, 2021 08:30 AM
Chicago has been named the candy capital of the world since the late 1800s. The Loop has a rich candy making history, including Fannie May’s first store in the Loop’s Business District. Tootsie Roll Industries, Brach’s, Frango, Wrigley Gum and Mars Candy also have roots in Chicago.
In 1893 the World’s Columbian Exposition was held in Chicago, where many of today’s biggest brands of candy were introduced. William Wrigley Jr. originally sold baking powder in Chicago but handed out gum as an incentive for customers to buy his product. Wrigley’s gum became more popular, so he switched businesses and it is still one of the most popular brands of gum in the U.S. today.