Amarelli - A Family Business Built on Liquorice

The business of buying and selling wholesale sweets isn’t just about ticking off checklists and balancing numbers. Sometimes confectionery companies have compelling enough stories to stand out - not just for the quality of their products, but also for the engrossing tale of how they got to where they are now.

The Amarellis are a family with over 500 years of rich history rooted in the mysteriously healthy yet delectably delicious sweet treat, liquorice - which is still one of confectionery suppliers' most popular wholesale sweets.

Blessings of the Land

Records of the Amarelli family cultivating and harvesting liquorice root go back as far as 1499. Liquorice was, at the time, renowned for the energy it supplied - making it particularly popular with soldiers, pilgrims and labourers.

One advantage that the Amarelli family had was their rich soil, which was ideal for growing liquorice. The glycyrrhizin content of the land their estate was located on made their liquorice significantly sweeter and with stronger healing properties than their competitors – laying the roots (so to speak) of the family in the liquorice business.

Going With the Times

When 18th century Europe was swept up by the industrial revolution, the Amarellis wasted no time incorporating these developments into their business. This allowed them to maximise the yield they gained from their estate, as they were able to extract significantly more juice from the liquorice roots.

The Amarelli family grew their humble local business into one that was renowned all through Europe - not only with other producers of liquorice, but with purveyors of exceptionally high-quality liquorice. The Amarelli family’s traditional tins are a testament to the long-reaching and iconic status the family has achieved thanks to their liquorice.

Amarelli Today

Today, Amarelli is a name that is known throughout the world. The family business continues to supply wholesale sweets and has achieved a legendary status in their home province of Calabria. The Giorgio Amarelli Museum is located in the province, is dedicated to celebrating everything about liquorice. This museum was set up by the family in order to give locals and visitors a taste of how liquorice built the Amarelli family – and vice-versa. The museum had the honour of receiving the 'Premio Guggenheim Impresa & Cultura' award, and it's even featured on a stamp, highlighting its value as a valued cultural and artistic site.

You'd be hard-pressed to find another producer of wholesale sweets who can provide the same quality (and history) of liquorice than the wonderful Italian Amarelli family.

Angelina Moufftard works for HF Chocolates, suppliers of high quality wholesale sweets to the retail trade and others who wish to purchase wholesale quantities of chocolate and confectionery. Renowned since 1957, we've sourced the best suppliers from France, Spain, Germany, Holland, Belgium, the USA and UK. Our great tasting and beautifully packaged products also represent excellent value for money.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.