1920-1993 Leaf Brand Candy Company

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Leslie Manson posted
My aunt through marriage worked at Leaf Brand Candy, 1155 North Cicero, in the 1960's. My brothers and I loved when she would bring candy like spearmint leaves, orange slices and whoppers over to us. Sadly like most of the candy factories here in Chicago it moved out of state.
[There are a lot of comments about some of the other candy companies, working for a candy company and getting treats from candy companies....Leaf Brands was originally founded by Sol S. Leaf in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Leaf started various candy companies beginning in the 1920s, and they were merged into Leaf Brands in 1947.]
Jamiana Antonia posted
Ray Simpson: Loved the Orange candy. Word is that Ferrara Pan has purchased a major brand and is bringing it to Forest Park. Gummy Bears - perhaps
Aaron Grace: Ray Simpson not Gummy Bears; Jelly Belly jellybeans!
Toby Faber: All their brands now are owned by Hershey's.
Dennis DeBruler: You can access more information about Leaf Candy, including the link to Leslie's post and the comments on that post, on the page from which Jamiana copied the photo: https://industrialscenery.blogspot.com/.../1920-1993-leaf...

Carey Winteergreen commented on Jamiana's post
Wrong photo…that’s the Brach Candy factory…which stood on the corner of Kilpatrick and Kinzie…nowhere near 1155 N Cicero…notice the terra cotta medallion above the fourth floor…

LeafBrands
"Originally, Leaf Brands® was started in the 1920’s by the members of the Leaf family. Leaf was responsible for producing such candy classics as Whoppers®, Milk Duds®, Jolly Rancher® and Rain Blo Bubblegum®, just to name a few classic Leaf brands....By the 1990s, Leaf had become one of the world’s top ten confectionery companies; it was especially strong in non-chocolate products such as pastilles and chewing gum and by 1993, Leaf was the fourth largest candy producer in North America before finally being purchased by Hershey’s Candy."
They also produced Payday and Heath Bar. [LstopTours]

Street View

The building was purchased in 1996 by Erickson, "which manufactures personal-care products for clients such as Helene Curtis, a unit of Unilever Home and Personal Care Inc., Gillette Co., and Colgate-Palmolive Co....The company is riding a wave of growth, fueled in part by a trend of major manufacturers, such as Sara Lee Corp. and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., to maintain their marketing business and contract out the manufacturing of their products." That company created over 200 jobs for the neighborhoood. [ChicagoTribune]

Hershey bought the "Leaf North American confectionery operations" in 1996. [en-academic] But the previous owner must have closed the Chicago factory in 1993 because the above 1997 Tribune article says the factory quit making candy four years earlier.

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