The candy bar features chopped peanuts in a chocolate coating, with a smooth fondant center with real crushed cherries. It has a fascinating and stories history, having survived World Wars, the Great Depression, and much more. This nostalgic candy is the third oldest candy bar still being produced in the U.S., behind the Hershey Bar and Goo Goo Cluster.
“Generation after generation of Americans have fallen in love with our nostalgic candy,” says Barry Yantis, president and chief executive officer of the Chase Candy Company. “We receive letters every week from fans of all ages who tell us how much they love Cherry Mash, some who have enjoyed the sweet treat for decades. We’re proud to have produced Cherry Mash for a century - very few products in the United States turn 100.”
More than 15 tons of maraschino cherries go into the production of Cherry Mash every year. Additionally, it uses 200,000 pounds of peanuts and 200,000 pounds of chocolate coating.
Chase Candy Company continues to operate in St. Joseph out of a new candy factory built in 2005. It also produces a bite-sized version of Cherry Mash known as Mini Mash, as well as a series of peanut and coconut candies such as peanut clusters, peanut squares, peanut brittle, peco flake, coconut haystacks, and coconut bon bons.
