Good & Plenty licorice candy was first produced by the Quaker City Confectionery Company of Philadelphia in 1893 and is the oldest branded candy in the United States.

There have been many copycats over the years, but only one true Good and Plenty.

Since they have been around so long, and especially if you like black licorice, you surely have tasted Good & Plenty.  Did you pretend they were pills while playing doctor as a kid?  Food pellets for your spaceship?  Did you separate out the pink ones from the white and eat them separately?  However you enjoyed them, they are still available today.

Back in 1950, when a new generation of kids (Baby Boomers) were just beginning to become the targets audience of advertising executives, a little train engineer named "Choo Choo Charlie" was introduced.  Choo Choo Charlie fueled his train with Good & Plenty candy, and was featured in radio, television and print advertising.

Do you remember the words to the Choo Choo Charlie Good & Plenty candy theme song?

Once upon a time there was an engineer
      Choo Choo Charlie was his name, we hear.
He had an engine and he sure had fun
      He used Good & Plenty candy to make his train run.
Charlie says "Love my Good & Plenty!"
      Charlie says "Really rings my bell!"
Charlie says "Love my Good & Plenty!"
      Don't know any other candy that I love so well!

Click image above to hear Choo-Choo Charlie.

Timeline:

1893 - Good & Plenty Candy was first produced by the Quaker City Confectionery Company in Philadelphia, PA.

1950 - Choo Choo Charlie, the engineer who fueled his train with Good & Plenty Candy, first appeared in advertisements.

1973 - Warner-Lambert purchased the Good & Plenty candy brand.

1982 - Beatrice Foods purchased the Good & Plenty candy brand and moved to St. Louis.

1983 - Huhtamaki Oy purchased Leaf Brands, the confectionery division of Beatrice Foods.

1996 - Hershey Foods Corporation acquired the Leaf North American confectionery operations from Huhtamaki Oy of Helsinki, Finland.