[2]

1903: The Storck company begins

The history of Werther’s Original is closely linked to that of August Storck. In 1903, August Storck, also known as Oberwelland, established a confectionery factory in the town of Werther, Westphalia, Germany. The operation initially employed only three people and used a single cooking kettle.

This factory eventually developed into the confectionery business now known as August Storck KG.

1909: The original caramel is created

According to Storck’s official history, confectioner Gustav Nebel created the butter-candy recipe in Werther in 1909.

The recipe traditionally associated with the original candy combined:

• Fresh cream
• Real butter
• Refined white sugar
• Brown rock sugar/candy sugar
• A small amount of salt
• Time and careful cooking

The result was a smooth, rich caramel with a distinctive buttery and creamy flavour.[1]

It is important to distinguish 1909, the date associated with the creation of the candy recipe, from 1969, the year Storck introduced Werthers Echte as a formal brand.

1969: Werthers Echte

In 1969, Storck introduced Werthers Echte, establishing the caramel as a recognisable branded confectionery product.

The name Werthers Echte can be understood as “Werther’s Originals” or “Werther’s genuine [candies]”. The product was based on the traditional butter-and-cream caramel concept.[1]

1980s: International recognition

During the 1980s, Werthers Echte achieved increasing success. A significant element of its marketing was advertising centred on a grandfather giving a caramel to his grandson.

This campaign helped establish the brand’s image as one associated with family, tradition, nostalgia, and intergenerational connection. Storck describes this advertising as a major factor in the brand’s cross-generational popularity.

1990s: Werther’s Original

As the brand expanded internationally, Werthers Echte became known as Werther’s Original in global markets.

Storck’s corporate history records the international transition from Werthers Echte to Werther’s Original. The German market adopted the English name in 1998.[1]

2000s–2020s: Expansion beyond hard candy

Although the original Werther’s product was a hard caramel, the brand gradually expanded into other textures and formats.

These include soft caramels, chewy caramels, filled candies, sugar-free products, and caramel popcorn.[1]

Notable developments include:

• 2007: Sugar-free Butter Candies were introduced.
• 2010: Karamell-Küche presented by Werther’s Original opened at EPCOT at Walt Disney World.
• 2018: Werther’s Original introduced Caramel Popcorn, including Salted Caramel.
• 2022: Chocolate Covered Caramels were introduced to U.S. consumers.
• 2023–2024: The brand expanded into newer bite-sized products, including Caramel Bites/Blissful Bites.[1]

The name derives from Werther, the German town where the Storck confectionery factory was established and where the traditional caramel story is set.

The word “Original” reinforces the brand’s positioning around authenticity and a traditional recipe. Before becoming Werther’s Original internationally, the product was known in Germany as Werthers Echte.

Thus, the brand name connects three core concepts:

Werther → the place of origin
Original → authenticity and tradition
Caramel → the defining product

Butter and cream

The defining characteristic of Werther’s is its buttery, creamy caramel profile. The company specifically emphasises real butter and fresh cream as key ingredients in its traditional products.[1]

This differentiates it from many simpler sugar-based hard candies.

Caramelisation

The characteristic brown colour and deep flavour result from the caramel confectionery process. The combination of cooked sugars with dairy ingredients produces the sweet, toasted, buttery flavour associated with Werther’s.

Texture

The brand is not limited to a single texture. Its portfolio includes:

• Hard and slowly dissolving caramel candies
• Cream-filled hard candies
• Soft caramels
• Chewy caramels
• Toffees
• Chocolate-covered caramels
• Caramel popcorn
• Filled bite-size products

[1]

Nostalgia and family

Perhaps as important as the recipe is Werther’s brand identity.

The company has historically positioned the candy as a small, comforting indulgence associated with family and memories. Its well-known grandfather-and-grandson advertising helped establish an image of Werther’s as a candy passed from one generation to another.

This gives Werther’s a distinct personality compared to brands that primarily market candy through youth culture, novelty, or intense flavours.

Werther’s Original has developed into a broad caramel portfolio.[2]

Hard Caramels

The classic Werther’s product is a hard, buttery caramel candy designed to dissolve gradually in the mouth.

Variants include traditional butter candies as well as filled versions and flavoured products such as caramel coffee and caramel-apple-filled candies, depending on the market.

Soft Caramels

Soft Caramels offer the same general caramel profile in a softer texture.

Examples include:

• Original Soft Caramels
• Salted Caramel
• Vanilla Crème
• Chocolate Covered Caramels

Chewy Caramels and Toffees

The brand also sells chewy products that provide a longer-lasting caramel experience compared with its traditional hard candy.[1]

Filled Caramels

Filled products combine an outer caramel shell with a creamy or flavoured centre. This allows Werther’s to retain its traditional caramel identity while introducing different textures.

Sugar-free products

Werther’s offers sugar-free or no-sugar-added varieties in some markets.

These products use alternative sweetening ingredients rather than conventional sugar. The exact formulation varies by product and market.

Caramel Popcorn

A major extension beyond candy is Werther’s Original Caramel Popcorn.

It combines popcorn with Werther’s caramel, with varieties including traditional caramel and salted caramel.

Blissful Bites / Caramel Bites

More recent products move the brand toward bite-sized confectionery with a caramel exterior and flavoured centres. Storck’s current portfolio lists products such as Crunchy Malt, Blueberry Acai, and other filled varieties, depending on the market.[1]

Werther’s Original emphasises the use of high-quality ingredients, particularly real butter and fresh cream.

According to the company’s FAQ, Werther’s products are manufactured in Germany.[1]

Exact ingredients differ between products; therefore, it would be inaccurate to describe every Werther’s product as having exactly the same recipe. The classic butter candy, for example, differs fundamentally from sugar-free, chocolate-covered, or filled products.

However, the company’s traditional recipe and branding consistently revolve around the concept of rich caramel combined with dairy ingredients.

Werther’s Original is a brand of August Storck KG, commonly referred to as Storck.

Storck is one of Germany’s major confectionery companies and owns a portfolio of internationally recognised brands. Its other brands include merci, Toffifee, nimm2, Knoppers, and Mamba.

Werther’s is not an independent candy company; it is a major brand within the larger Storck confectionery group.

Werther’s Original has evolved from a regional German caramel into an international confectionery brand.

The company states its products are sold in more than 100 countries, making Werther’s Original one of Storck’s most widely distributed brands.[1]

The specific selection of products can differ considerably between countries. For example, markets in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and elsewhere may carry different flavours, packaging, and product formats.

Werther’s Original is strongly associated with a golden, caramel-coloured visual identity.

Its packaging typically uses:

• Gold and caramel tones
• Traditional typography
• Images of caramel candies
• Warm, nostalgic imagery
• A premium/traditional presentation

The visual identity supports the brand’s central message: traditional craftsmanship, warmth, and indulgence.

The gold colour is particularly appropriate as caramel itself has a golden-brown appearance, while gold packaging communicates richness and premium quality.

Werther’s Original has historically emphasised emotion rather than excitement.

Instead of presenting caramel primarily as a youthful or rebellious product, its advertising has often focused on:

• Family
• Childhood memories
• Generational relationships
• Comfort
• Tradition
• Sharing
• Small moments of indulgence

The grandfather-and-grandson advertising concept is especially significant because it effectively communicates that Werther’s is a candy enjoyed by multiple generations.

This has helped create a recognisable brand personality often described as warm, nostalgic, traditional, and comforting.

Werther’s Original has become particularly associated with the idea of an old-fashioned caramel candy.

This association is both a strength and a vital part of its identity. Rather than abandoning its traditional image, the brand generally uses its heritage as a foundation and introduces newer products around it.

For example, caramel popcorn and filled caramel bites allow the company to participate in newer snack and confectionery trends while retaining the familiar Werther’s caramel flavour.[1]

The two names refer to essentially the same brand at different stages of its international development:

Werthers Echte was the original German brand name introduced in 1969.

Werther’s Original became the international name and was eventually adopted in Germany as well, with the German market using the English name from 1998.[1]

Therefore, encountering old German Werthers Echte packaging represents the historical form of the same brand rather than an entirely different candy.

According to Werther’s Original’s official FAQ, the company’s products are made in Germany.

The brand’s German origin remains an important component of its identity even though the products are now distributed globally.

Werther’s states that the animal-derived ingredients used in its products are dairy products and that its complete product range is suitable for vegetarians but not vegan.

Individual products can have different formulations, so dietary claims should always be checked against the packaging for the particular product and country.

Werther’s Original’s development can be summarised as a progression:

1909 → Traditional butter caramel recipe associated with Gustav Nebel
↓
1969 → Werthers Echte becomes a formal branded product
↓
1980s → Major growth and memorable family-oriented advertising
↓
1990s → International expansion and transition toward the Werther’s Original name
↓
2000s → Sugar-free and additional caramel varieties
↓
2010s → Soft caramels, filled products and caramel popcorn
↓
2020s → Chocolate products and newer filled/bite-sized caramel formats

[2]

At its core, Werther’s Original occupies the premium/traditional caramel segment of confectionery.

Its positioning can be understood through four pillars:

This combination is significant: Werther’s does not have to choose between being an old-fashioned candy and a modern confectionery brand. Its strategy is largely to modernise the format while preserving the traditional caramel identity.

Werther’s Original is significant because it transformed what began as a regional German confectionery tradition into a globally recognised caramel brand.

The brand’s longevity is particularly notable. The underlying caramel story reaches back to 1909, the formal Werthers Echte brand dates from 1969, and the international Werther’s Original identity developed afterwards. Today, the brand states it is available in more than 100 countries.[1]

1. The Werther’s Original Story
2. Werther’s Original – Our Products