Narrator: CHOCOLATES AND MINTS
ARE ENJOYED BY MANY PEOPLE.
THEN, SOMEONE DISCOVERED
PUTTING
THE TWO TOGETHER
MAKES FOR
A DELICIOUS EXPERIENCE.
THE COOL ZESTINESS OF THE MINT
OFFSETS THE RICH CREAMINESS
OF THE CHOCOLATE.
IT IS ONE OF THE SWEETEST
MATCHES IN CANDY HISTORY.
CHOCOLATE OR MINT?
WITH THE CHOCOLATE MINT,
THE DECISION IS EASY
BECAUSE THE TWO FLAVORS
ARE WRAPPED INTO ONE.
TO MAKE CHOCOLATE MINTS,
THEY PUMP LIQUID SUGAR
INTO A HEATED MIXER,
AND ADD GRANULAR SUGAR.
THE MIXER BLENDS IT
INTO SIMMERING SYRUP
EXITING THROUGH STRAINERS.
THEN, IT'S MOVED INTO
A VACUUM-SEALED COOKER.
IT SUCKS OUT MOISTURE
AND THE SYRUP THICKENS
TO A JELLY-LIKE CONSISTENCY.
A WORKER TRANSFERS IT
TO A SECOND MIXER
AND ADDS THE MINT FLAVORING.
THOROUGH MIXING THICKENS IT
AND LIGHTENS THE COLOR
SUBSTANTIALLY.
HE TRANSFERS THE MINT FLAVORED
CANDY TO A WORK TABLE.
POWERFUL MECHANICAL ARMS
MASSAGE THE SLAB
TO COOL AND HARDEN THE CANDY.
NEXT, A HOPPER FUNNELS THE
CANDY
INTO PRESSURIZED ROLLERS
THAT SQUEEZE IT
INTO A LONG SHEET.
THE SHEET RIDES
AN INCLINING CONVEYOR.
ONCE IT REACHES THE TOP,
AN EMPLOYEE WRAPS THE END
AROUND A LONG STEEL TUBE.
THE TUBE REVOLVES AND TWISTS
THE MINT CANDY AROUND IT.
THE LONG CANDY SHEET
TAKES THE SHAPE OF THE TUBE.
THEY MELT AND MIX CHUNKS
OF PURE CHOCOLATE WITH COCOA,
POWDERED MILK,
AND ICING SUGAR.
THEY ADD COCONUT OIL
AND LECITHIN
TO BIND THE INGREDIENTS.
ONCE MIXED, THE EMPLOYEE
TRANSFERS IT TO A HOPPER
NEXT TO THE BIG MINT
CANDY TUBE.
FROM HERE,
THE CHOCOLATE IS INJECTED
INTO THE HOLLOW OF
THE MINT CANDY TUBE.
THE TUBE ROLLS OFF THE FORMING
CYLINDER AND PASSES BY ROLLERS
THAT SQUEEZE THE DIAMETER DOWN
TO A ROPE SIZE.
A COMPACTOR THEN MASHES
THE CANDY ROPE
TO GIVE THE FILLING
A HONEYCOMB TEXTURE.
PULLERS NOW STRETCH A SECOND
SLAB OF MINT CANDY
UNTIL IT THICKENS
AND TURNS A LIGHTER COLOR.
THE WORKER CUTS IT INTO CHUNKS
THAT FIT INTO
THE NEXT ROLLING MACHINE.
IT PRESSES THE CANDY
INTO A SHEET
WHICH THEN LANDS ON TOP OF
THE MINT CHOCOLATE.
THE TWO LAYERS NOW ENTER
THE NEXT FORMING MACHINE.
THIS ONE WRAPS THE OUTER LAYER
AROUND
THE CHOCOLATE INFUSED ONE,
CREATING A CHOCOLATE FILLED
MINT TUBE.
ROLLERS REDUCE THE DIAMETER
TO HALF AN INCH IN SIZE.
NEXT, THE CHOCOLATE MINT ROPE
ENTERS A DIE CUTTER.
IT SHAPES AND CUTS THE ROPE
INTO MINTS.
THE MINTS SPILL INTO A
SPREADER
WHICH DISTRIBUTES THEM EVENLY
ACROSS A PERFORATED CONVEYOR.
FANS BLOW AIR THROUGH THE
HOLES
IN THE CONVEYOR
TO COOL AND SOLIDIFY
THE CANDIES.
ONCE THE CANDIES HAVE
HARDENED,
THEY HEAD TO
THE WRAPPING STATION.
HERE, THEY RIDE A ROTATING
CIRCULAR PLATFORM
AND FALL INTO CANDY-SIZE
SLOTS.
GLOSSY METALIZED FILM WRAP
UNWINDS.
MECHANICAL ARMS COLLECT
THE CHOCOLATE MINTS
AS THEY FALL OUT OF THE SLOTS.
THEY HOLD THE CANDIES
FOR WRAPPING
WHILE DEVICES TWIST THE ENDS.
IT TAKES ONLY A FRACTION
OF A SECOND TO WRAP A CANDY.
THEN IT'S ON
TO A WEIGH STATION.
SCALES RELEASE THE
INDIVIDUALLY
WRAPPED CHOCOLATE MINTS
IN INCREMENTS.
THEY FALL INTO BAGS
READY FOR RETAIL.
APPROXIMATELY
2,400 CHOCOLATE MINTS
ARE MADE EVERY MINUTE
AT THIS FACTORY.
TWO FLAVORS IN ONE CANDY --
THEY'RE QUITE A TREAT.
