Chicago famously has a sweet tooth, and why wouldn’t it? For much of the 20th century, Chicago reigned supreme as the “Candy Capital of the World”. From Cracker Jack and M&Ms to Snickers and Lemon Heads, many of the world’s most well-known sweets originated in the city.

At its peak, 100 Chicago candy companies, including Wrigley, Mars, and Ferrara produced a third of all candy in the United States and employed more than 25,000 people.

But however all-American this world of confection may appear, it was immigrants who came to Chicago in the nineteenth century who helped mould the industry.