Do you remember Black Jack sweets, what about the Black Jack sweets original wrapper? Let’s take a look at this stalwart of the penny chew sweet shop shelves. Love them or hate them these retro sweets have stuck around for quite a while.
What are Black Jack Sweets
Black Jacks are a black chewy sweet that were very popular in the 1970’s and 1980’s. They were often found in sweet shops with the other penny chews and penny sweets or in pick n mix selections in larger shops such as the famous Woolworths stores pick n mix selection.
Black Jacks came in a black and white wrapper and would be sold in small white paper bags with the other penny chews that the customer had purchased. They would often be found with fruit salad sweets and were often sold as a combination.
More Old Retro Sweets:
Do You Remember the Aniseed Flavour?
If you have never tried Black Jack chews before, be prepared for a strong aniseed flavour. They are very much an acquired taste but have endured consistent popularity over the decades.
The aniseed flavour has not changed over the years although some ingredients have varied over the years along with the process of manufacturing the sweets.
The History of the Original Black Jack Sweets
Black Jacks were originally harder sweets rather than chewy. They were also rectangle shaped but they’ve been updated to be a softer treat with a new square-shape.
They were first produced in the 1920’s for the UK and Spain under the Tangerine Confectionery brand which came under the larger Trebor Barratt umbrella. This makes the chew sweets around 100 years old.
Black Jack Sweets Original Wrapper
The original wrapper featured a Golliwog which are no longer featured due to the term being seen as a racial slur and the character itself being an obvious racial caricature not suitable for modern tastes or the times we now live in.
You can see the Black Jacks original wrapper below.
The modern wrapper features a spiral black and white design with a red and Black Jacks logo. I personally like the modern logo and its fun cartoony font.
My Memories of Black Jacks
To be perfectly honest my taste buds as a child were not a fan of anything aniseed flavoured. I absolutely hated Black Jacks and thought they were revolting, I can remember seeing them all the time and sometimes being given some by relatives if they brought me sweets as a gift. I never ate them though and they would be left for my dad to enjoy.
For me Black Jacks in the 1980’s where a very much unloved and always avoided penny chew. However, my now very much older taste buds will happily enjoy quite a few of the sweets. Times change as does tastes!
Can You Still Buy Black Jacks?
Black Jack sweets are still widely available both online and is pretty much all sweet shops that sell loose chews and hard boiled sweets.
They often come in bulk or mixed with other retro sweets from the 70’s and 80’s. If you have a local sweet shop, you are bound to find them inside lurking on the shelves ready to take you on a trip down sweet shop memory lane.
Black Jack Sweets FAQ’s
Let’s take a look at some common questions often asked about Black Jacks.
Are Black Jack Sweets Vegan?
Unfortunately, Black Jacks are not a vegan sweet and should be avoided if you are vegan.
Are Black Jack Sweets Vegetarians?
Black Jacks sweets are suitable for vegetarians or anyone following a vegetarian diet.
Are Black Jacks Gluten Free?
If you are following a gluten free diet then the good news is that black jack sweets are indeed gluten free. So, you can enjoy these retro sweets to your hearts content.
What are the Ingredients in Black Jack Sweets?
These are the 2021 listed Black Jack ingredients:
Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Palm Oil, Colour (Vegetable Carbon), Hydrolysed Pea Protein, Acid (Citric Acid), Aniseed Oil, Acidity Regulator (Trisodium Citrate).
What Calories are in Black Jack Sweets?
There are just under 17 calories in each Black Jack chew. You can enjoy quite a few without doing to much damage to your diet.
A Chewy Sweet For Many Generations
Black Jacks are a sweet that have been around since way before I was born, and I honestly believe they could still be around long after I am gone. For around a century people have been enjoying Black Jacks and I can’t see that changing anytime soon.
More Retro Sweets and Snacks Nostalgia
For some more sweet shop memories of retro sweets and snacks from days gone by take a look at the articles below.
Do You Remember the Bar Six Chocolate Bar?
Heinz Noodle Doodle Pasta Shapes
Do You Remember the Secret Chocolate Bar?
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