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Baked-In with Josh AllenAuthor: Gaslight Studio STL, c/o Josh Allen
Josh sits down with industry innovators to uncover the unique ideas and values that are baked in to their businesses and have led to extraordinary success. These conversations can be a catalyst for other leaders to discover, develop and deliver powerful results! Language: en Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Episode 106: Dan Warner & Jim Clark | Switzer's Licorice
Episode 106
Tuesday, 10 February, 2026
This week, we’re telling an unusually honest manufacturing story: how a legacy candy got shelved by a giant—and then came back without sanding off the edges that made it special. The brand is Switzer’s Licorice, born in St. Louis in 1888 when Frederick M. Switzer turned street‑cart candy into a company that would become a national licorice leader built on real licorice extract and a denser, chewier bite. Through the 20th century, Switzer grew big, then disappeared into corporate portfolios—ultimately landing at Hershey in the 1990s, where it conflicted with Twizzlers and St. Louis production was shut down, effectively discontinuing the brand. Fast‑forward to 2005: the founder’s grandsons, Michael and Joe Switzer, reintroduce the brand at the All Candy Expo in Chicago, aiming for authenticity over scale—Cherry Red and Old‑Fashioned Black back on shelves, distributed through nostalgia‑friendly channels. Today, we’ve got Dan Warner, Switzer’s managing CEO, on the revival playbook, and Jim Clark, a factory veteran, on the craft: the texture windows, the batch judgment, and the choices you make when you refuse to modernize away the soul of a candy. I'm also excited to welcome a new partner for the show - The Normal Brand - clothing rooted in Midwestern values. Co-founder Jimmy Sansone joined me awhile back (episode #67) and I'm a big supporter. They’re giving listeners 15% off one purchase of regularly priced clothing. Just use the code BAKEDIN at checkout. Head to thenormalbrand.com and find your new favorite fit. Let’s roll…
