History of Life Savers Candy

When you hear the phrase “Life Savers,” what do you think of? Probably those delicious hard candies with the hole in the middle! For most of us, Life Savers represent a sweet, refreshing bit of nostalgia that’s stuck firmly in time. Whether we indulge in fruity, gummy, or soda-flavoured versions, Life Savers have been around for ages — and keep getting sweeter. In this article, we’ll take a look at the history of Life Savers Candy. It’s the story of a candy company that started small but took off like wildfire on the back of a new and improved hard candy recipe. So, why do they call it Life Savers Candy? Where did the candy come from? And what are the ingredients that makes it so delicious?

The Inception of Life Savers Candy

Crane's Peppermint Life Savers

Our story starts in 1912 with ‘Clarence Crane, who at his home in Garrettsville, Ohio, perfected an appealing new peppermint candy that would not melt like chocolate in the summer,’ read the instructions on a classic yellow tube. ‘Crane named his refreshing confection the peppermint Life Saver.’

The Noble Era

A few years later, in 1913, Edward Noble bought the formula and changed the name to Pep-O-Mint Life Savers. He then established the Mint Products Company in New York City, where he promoted the candy for five cents a piece, but placed the registers in saloons, as well as in the ‘drug stores, cigar shops, barber shops and restaurants’, according to The Story of the Life Saver.

The Evolution of Flavors and Styles

Early Flavor Developments

By 1919, the product lineup had gone from zero to six flavours (Wint-O-Greenish, Cl-O-Vaty, Lic-O-Ricely, Cinn-O-Monstrous, Vi-O-Lethetic, and Choc-O-Lately). A seventh, Malt-O-Milk, was introduced in 1920 and dropped after a short time.

The Fruit Drops Revolution

The first mint flavours the company produced in 1921 were ‘the fruit drop with the hole’ and then came cherry, orange, lemon, lime, strawberry, grape, pineapple and others by 1931.

FAQs

How long ago was Life Savers Candies invented?

The Life Savers Candies were invented by Clarence Crane in 1912.

Why are they called Life Savers?

Life Savers was a name inspired by the fact that they resemble life preservers used for saving people from a watery death.

Life Savers Candy - what flavours are there? Life Savers Candy is available in many flavours including the original five favours (pipeapple, lime, orange cherry, lemon), and popular mint flavours such as Wint-O-Green. There are other flavours which have been added over the years, and some of these have been discontinued.

What country are Life Savers Candies made in?

Life Savers Candies were, as of 2002, made in Montreal, Québec, Canada.

Are Life Savers Candies vegan?

Life Savers hard candies contain no animal-derived ingredients, but they aren’t vegan-certified. Some vegans avoid them because of the artificial colours, which are tested on animals, and also because the sugar may be refined with bone char. Check the ingredients and contact the manufacturer if you have dietary concerns.