Why candy equipment became so common around 1880
Added 2019-08-24 17:00:01 +0000 UTCI've been wondering for a while why candy became such an industry around 1880.
It started to become popular to make the machines and start candy businesses in the 1860's but things became big after about 1880. (Hershey 1894, Wrigley 1891, Wilber Candy 1884) It ends up there was a Sugar tax from the UK, and export tax. since most of the sugar coming to the USA and the UK came from British colonies in the Caribbean, the tax applied. it was repealed in 1874 meaning sugar because cheap and the markets opened up in the USA and England.
Because of this, candy and candy equipment makers boomed, and my candy table was made in 1891. Companies that were in the right place at the right time grew (My Thomas mills drop roller was made and/or patented in 1871) so their patent would be in full effect when this happened.
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/sugaract.html
