Choward's: the New York candy with a violet soul

Choward's is the New York confectionery born from a single mission: create something unique and different. Charles Howard did exactly that from a Broadway loft in the early 1930s, selling his first violet-flavored mints from street corners in Manhattan. That floral, lightly sweet taste — closer to the scent of a flower than a classic mint — is the kind of thing you either fall for immediately or need two seconds to understand. But those who get it are among the most loyal fans in the entire snacking world. Since then, Choward's has grown to include Spearmint, Peppermint, Lemon and the iconic Scented Gum, a violet-flavored purple gum tablet. A discreet New York institution that true connoisseurs seek out.

Where does Choward's come from?

It's the early 1930s in New York. Charles Howard, set on creating "a unique and different flavored candy," sets up in a small industrial loft on Broadway and crafts his first recipe: a square violet-flavored mint with an unmistakable floral taste. To launch it, he has no shop — he sells the mints himself from street corners in Manhattan. Word of mouth does the rest, and Choward's Violet quickly builds a loyal following.

Riding that success, Howard then launches the Scented Gum — a purple gum tablet, also violet-scented. The range then grows to include Peppermint, Spearmint and Lemon Mints. When he passed in 1965, he left the company to longtime employee Elizabeth Juhase, who brought in her nephews in the 1970s. The Pratz family ran things until 2017 — and the original recipe has never changed since those Manhattan street corners.

The brand even has cultural credentials: in the AMC series Mad Men, a character has these violet mints as their favorite candy. And in Raymond Chandler's novels, a detective goes by the nickname "Violets M'Gee" — because he chews Choward's violet pastilles.

What does Choward's taste like?

Violet is the star of the lineup, and it's a flavor all its own: floral, lightly sweet, with a note that resembles a flower's scent more than a classic mint. That's what catches people off guard the first time — and what creates devoted fans for life. The Spearmint, Peppermint and Lemon flavors are more familiar — spearmint, peppermint and natural lemon oil — but all share that polished, precise "fine mint" quality that sets Choward's apart from industrial candy.

The Choward's products to discover

Choward's Scented Gum — the violet-scented gum in square purple tablets: floral, soft, absolutely unique on the market.
Choward's Spearmint — square spearmint mints, flavored with natural spearmint oil. Fresh and understated.
Choward's Peppermint — peppermint mints, more intense and refreshing than spearmint.
Choward's Lemon — lemon mints with natural lemon oil. Tangy, bright and very refreshing.
Choward's Violet — the original mint, the brand's signature since the 1930s. Floral, unique, worth trying at least once.

Frequently asked questions

What does violet actually taste like?

Violet in candy is a floral, lightly sweet flavor quite unlike anything common in Europe. Some find it close to a flower's perfume, others to a retro candy note. It's probably the most polarizing and most memorable candy flavor in the entire American range.

Are Choward's mints a gum or a hard candy?

Both! The Scented Gum is a real chewing gum. The Violet, Spearmint, Peppermint and Lemon are hard mints to be sucked — "fine mints" in square format, sold in their characteristic small silver and colored tin-style packaging.