Last Updated on June 5, 2021 by Jim Edwards
Junior Mints are bite-sized candies with a dark chocolate coating on the outside and a soft minty filling on the inside. They are the perfect balance of cool mint and chocolate. They are an extremely popular snack for movie-watchers and have a long association with movie concession stands. Tootsie Roll Company produces more than 15 million boxes of Junior Mints every day. Every bite is a blast of freshness in your mouth. Oh and try putting a box in the freezer for an extra cold minty blast – that’s our favorite way to eat them!
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History of Junior Mints
Junior Mints came into existence in 1949. They were created by the James O Welch Company in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1963 Nabisco took over James O Welch Company. And then in 1993, they were acquired by the Tootsie Roll Company.
A factory called Cambridge Brands, a subsidiary of Tootsie Roll Industries manufactures the Junior Mints in Cambridge’s Area4 neighborhood.
The Junior Mints name was inspired by Sally Benson’s short story collection called Junior Miss. Junior Mints became a favorite snack to display and sell at movie theatres and play areas. Sooner, the three-ounce package was being advertised as the “Theater Size Junior Mints Concession Candy.”
Junior mints nutrition facts
In a 12-piece pack there are 130 calories present.
More detail on the nutritional facts are:
| % daily value | |
| Total Fat (2.5 g) | 3% |
| Saturated Fat (1.5 g) | 8% |
| Trans Fat (0 g) | 0% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat (0 g) | 0% |
| Monounsaturated Fat (0 g) | 0% |
| Cholesterol (0 mg) | 0% |
| Sodium (0 mg) | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate (26 g) | 9% |
| Dietary fiber (0 g) | 0% |
| Sugar (25 g) | 50% |
| Protein (0 g) | 0% |
| Vitamin D (0 mg) | 0% |
| Calcium (0 mg) | 0% |
| Iron (0 mg) | 0% |
| Potassium (0 mg) | 0% |
Related: Canada Mints
Junior Mints – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Let us answer some of the most popular questions about Junior Mints candies.
Why Are Junior Mints So Popular?
The flavor is a combination of rich dark chocolate and fresh peppermint. It is chocolaty and minty at the same time. The exterior chocolate coating is crunchy, and the minty interior is chewy.
Junior Mints are popular because of the source of inspiration behind the name. There was a Broadway show called “Junior Miss” that played between 1941 and 1943. Junior Mints was advertised as a candy that people could enjoy during plays and movies. Even to this day, you find Junior Mints in movie places.
Are Junior Mints Vegan?
Junior Mints contain Confectioner’s Glaze as one of the ingredients. Confectioner’s glaze consists of female lac bugs’ secretions, which are crushed and used in the candy. Since it is a form of animal source, it will be inappropriate to call Junior Mints vegan.
Moreover, the sugar used in the process contains refined animal products. Therefore, Junior Mints are not vegan.
How are Junior Mints Made?
The process begins with a combination of sugar and corn syrup. The mixture is liquified at a high temperature and then dropped on a cooling wheel. The sudden drop in temperature helps the candy to firm up. It is then whipped with mint and the rest of the ingredients to create the creamy texture you find inside the chocolate coating.
The minty white product is given a solid shape and then popped on a conveyer belt to cool further. The mint centers are popped in a rotating laundromat-like machine where they are showered with chocolate. Once the chocolate coating is done, a final blaze is given to bring out the shine on every candy piece.
The formula of the product has remained unchanged since its inception in 1949. The packaging changes from time to time.
Who Makes Junior Mints?
Junior Mints was originally founded by the James O Welch Company in 1949. The company got acquired by Nabisco in 1963. Later, Tootsie Roll Company bought the firm and became the manufacturers of Junior Mints.
Presently, all the Junior Mints candies are manufactured at Cambridge Brands, a Tootsie Roll Industries subsidiary.
How Many Calories are there in Junior Mints?
In a standard 12-pieces a box Junior Mints packet, there are a total of 130 calories.
Are Junior Mints Gluten-free?
Yes, Junior Mints are gluten-free.
Related: Andes Mints
Video – Junior Mints Unwrapping
If you want to see the package being unwrapped and see a taste test, check out this fun video.
Video – Junior Mints Seinfeld
If you are a Seinfeld fan, you probably have already seen this clip. Its quite funny!
It’s also known as Kramer Junior Mints!
In this clip, Jerry and Kramer are eating Junior Mints while watching a surgical procedure. And one of the mints ends up falling into the patient having surgery!
A final note….Junior Mintz
Coincidently, I have a good friend in Seattle whose name is Robert Mintz (married to Patti – Hi Patti!). Robert is very much addicted to Junior Mints. So much so that he named his dog Junior (yep, Junior Mintz). Here is a picture of Rob with his dog Junior Mintz and of course, actual Junior Mints!
Image Credit: “Junior Mints 3/365” by Crashmaster007 is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Related: If you like Junior Mints, be sure to check out our post about Sugar Babies Candy.
I’m Jim Edwards and I started this website to share my love of Junk Food. We cover new junk food, desserts, snack foods, fast food secret menus, candy (of course!) and other related news. We love trying “secret menus” at restaurants. And we love trying new products too. So, we are trying to have some fun with our hobby and share some useful information with you, our community. Please feel to send us your suggestions and feedback through the contact form. And if you have products you would like us to try, let us know…!