Confectionery mainstay Allen’s is celebrating 130 years of making some of Australia’s most loved lollies. This article first appeared in the August 2021 issue of Food and Drink Business.
Many lollies created by Allen’s have stood the test of time. Founded in 1891 by Alfred Weaver Allen, the brand has weathered as many parts of our collective history as our personal celebrations and life events that required a sugary hit.
Bought by Nestlé in 1987, Allen’s lollies are still manufactured in Broadford Victoria. Throughout the 130 years, the company created more than 1000 different lollies. Some have not survived the tempest that is consumer taste, Green Frogs and Spearmint Leaves were discontinued in 2015. Some have had to move with the times, with Red Skins and Chicos becoming Red Ripperz and Cheekies in 2020.
And some are simply part of the fabric of our lives. Allen’s makes enough Party Mix to decorate more than 12 million birthday cakes every year.
It also produces 240 million Snakes Alive snakes a year. Lined up head to tail, they would stretch for 36,000 kilometres. That’s about three times around the moon or once around the world, take your pick.
Allen’s is rolling out new lines to commemorate its birthday as well as releasing a special collaborative edition of The Australian Women’s Weekly’s iconic 1980s Birthday Cake Book.
Nestlé head of marketing Confectionery Joyce Tan says: “We are so excited to celebrate our 130th birthday with the new Allen’s Party Cake Book – it’s the ultimate party starter for any age or occasion.
“Like Allen’s lollies, the AWW CakeBook hasbeen a staple of many childhoods, so we know this partnership between two iconic party-loving brands will spark the imaginations of Aussies to create new delicious and delightful cakes for any celebration, with a fun Allen’s twist.”
The cookbook has 30 Allen’s inspired cake hacks, from cult classics to modern themes to inspire a new generation of party cake bakers.
