For more than a century, Frango has been melting hearts in America—starting from the time it was first offered as a frozen dessert in the tea room in Seattle’s Frederick & Nelson department store.
Captivated by the taste, candymaker Ray C. Alden devoted himself to creating a chocolate inspired by the frozen confection. His secret recipe included, in part, cocoa beans sourced from the African Coast and South America.
At the beginning of the Great Depression in 1929, Chicago-based Marshall Field & Company purchased Frederick & Nelson and its beloved Frango recipes. Frederick & Nelson chocolatiers were quickly dispatched to the Windy City to teach Marshall Field’s staff how to prepare the iconic Frango Mint.
Marshall Field’s soon began producing a distinctly similar Chicago version of the original recipe in its own soon-to-be-famous candy kitchen.
In the 1940s, as Frederick & Nelson and Marshall Field’s expanded across the country, countless new fans discovered—and fell deeply in love with—the exclusive Frango chocolates. Imaginative window displays, featuring heaps of iconic Frango boxes, became a beloved holiday tradition for families. Holiday shoppers gleefully shared their delicious discovery with family and friends far and wide.
Over the years, new chocolate recipes joined the Frango family to meet shifting tastes and growing demand. Beloved by millions for nearly a century, Frango is a one-of-a-kind treat to commemorate any occasion, from the everyday to the extraordinary.
Frango Chocolates officially joined the Garrett family of brands in 2017. Both brands share a deep history and tradition of handcrafted excellence, born in a kitchen and innovating ahead of our time. With Garrett Popcorn®, all Frango recipes remain closely guarded secrets—and each chocolate is lovingly and meticulously crafted.
Read Garrett Popcorn®’s story
