National Licorice Day: The Best American Liquorice You Can Buy in the UK

National Licorice Day falls on 12 April each year — an American observance that's become a useful hook for confectionery retailers and content creators on both sides of the Atlantic. Whether you're a passionate liquorice fan or someone who's always been sceptical of the flavour, American liquorice is a genuinely different product from the British version — and worth knowing about.

This guide covers the best American liquorice products available in the UK, the key differences between American and British styles, and what's worth trying. For a broader overview of American vs British confectionery, see our American sweets vs British sweets guide.

American Liquorice vs British Liquorice: What's the Difference?

This is the most important distinction to understand before diving into the product range — because American 'liquorice' is fundamentally different from what British consumers mean by the word.

British liquorice. In the UK, liquorice means anise flavour — the distinctive, slightly medicinal, black flavour derived from the liquorice root. Bassett's Liquorice Allsorts, liquorice wheels, and liquorice laces all have this character. It's polarising: people either love it or strongly dislike it.

American liquorice. In the US, 'licorice' typically refers to the format rather than the flavour. Twizzlers and Red Vines — the two dominant American licorice brands — are fruit-flavoured chewy twists. Strawberry is the most popular flavour. There's no anise. No medicinal note. They taste nothing like British liquorice.

This distinction matters because UK customers who dislike British liquorice often assume they'll dislike American liquorice too — and they're wrong. Twizzlers and Red Vines are much closer to fruit-flavoured taffy or chewy candy than to the anise-flavoured confectionery the word 'liquorice' suggests to British ears.

Red Vines

Red Vines are one of the two dominant American licorice brands and have the longer history — dating back to the American Licorice Company, founded in 1914. The Original Red Twists are the flagship product: long, chewy, strawberry-flavoured twists with a softer, slightly more pliable texture than Twizzlers.

Red Vines are the West Coast favourite in the great American licorice debate. They're deeply embedded in American cinema and TV culture from the 80s and 90s — the kind of snack that appears in film scenes, sitcoms, and cultural references so frequently that UK consumers often recognise the packaging long before they've tasted one. For more on the American candy brands that defined that era, see our retro American candy guide.

Available formats: Original Red Twists in bags and the iconic resealable tub (good for retail display and pick and mix).

Retailer tip: The Red Vines tub is a strong display product — the size and branding create visual impact on a shelf. Position it alongside Twizzlers to let customers pick a side in the great American licorice debate.

Twizzlers

Twizzlers are the East Coast favourite and the best-selling licorice brand in America. Made by Hershey's, Twizzlers have a slightly firmer, more compact texture than Red Vines and a flavour that's a touch more vanilla-adjacent than straight strawberry.
The Twizzlers range extends well beyond the classic Strawberry Twists. Pull 'n' Peel is a distinctive variant — a thick rope made of individually separable strands that you pull apart before eating. The interactive element makes it a popular product for younger consumers and a natural social media content piece.

Twizzlers range: Strawberry Twists, Pull 'n' Peel (Strawberry and Cherry), Bites (small individually wrapped pieces), and limited-edition flavours seasonally.

Retailer tip: Twizzlers Pull 'n' Peel is a strong differentiator from other soft candy products — the interactive format is genuinely novel and tends to sell on first sight.

Sour Punch Straws

Sour Punch straws are sour-coated chewy candy in a long straw format — closer to Twizzlers in shape than in flavour, but with a tart sour coating rather than the sweet fruit profile of straight licorice. Blue Raspberry is the standout flavour — vivid blue colour, intense sour coating, and a chewy texture that's different from other sour candy formats.
Sour Punch Bites take the same flavour profile in a shorter, snackable format — pre-cut pieces that are easier to eat without the full straw length. Both formats work well in a sour candy section and attract the same audience as Warheads and Sour Patch Kids, while offering a different texture experience.

Retailer tip: Sour Punch sits naturally in a sour candy section rather than with the liquorice — the sour coating is the primary flavour experience, not the chewy straw format.

Other American Chewy Candy Worth Knowing

Alongside the dedicated liquorice brands, a few other American chewy candy products are worth mentioning in the context of National Licorice Day — particularly for consumers who love the chewy, pull-apart eating format even if they're indifferent to the liquorice category specifically.

Airheads are flat taffy-style bars — chewy, pull-apart, and intensely fruit-flavoured. No anise, no sour coating — just bold fruit flavour in a chewy format. See our Airheads complete guide for the full range.

Laffy Taffy are similar in concept — soft, stretchy, intensely fruit-flavoured — with the added charm of a printed joke on every wrapper. See our Laffy Taffy complete guide for the full range.

The Great American Licorice Debate: Red Vines vs Twizzlers

Ask any American which is better — Red Vines or Twizzlers — and you'll get a strong opinion. It's one of those food debates that divides regions, generations, and social groups with surprising intensity.

Red Vines fans argue: softer texture, more authentic strawberry flavour, better for the straw trick, superior cinema snack.

Twizzlers fans argue: more consistent quality, better range of variants (Pull 'n' Peel especially), available everywhere, made by Hershey's.

UK consumers approaching American licorice for the first time generally find the differences subtle. The most common first reaction is surprise that neither tastes anything like British liquorice — followed by a preference for whichever one they tried first.

The practical answer for retailers: stock both. The debate itself is a selling point — customers who've seen it referenced in American culture will want to try both sides. The Red Vines vs Twizzlers display is a conversation starter that drives dual purchase.

Where to Buy American Liquorice in the UK

Sweet and Glory stocks Red Vines, Twizzlers, and Sour Punch at wholesale prices. Browse our liquorice category for the full range, or explore our wider soft candy and candy categories for the complete American confectionery range.

Whether you're marking National Licorice Day, building a liquorice section in your shop, or just curious about the Red Vines vs Twizzlers debate, there's no minimum order. Free parcel delivery on orders over £150 ex VAT. Open a trade account for wholesale pricing, or simply browse and order.