Boston in a Jar: Marshmallow Fluff and Boston’s Candy Industry

At one time, Boston was home to nearly one hundred and fifty candy companies and a hub for candy, including Marshmallow Fluff, invented in Somerville and manufactured in Lynn since the 1950s. In celebration of Marshmallow Fluff’s centennial, Mimi Graney presents a fascinating narrative of the area’s forgotten candy industry, which encompasses changing social roles for women, the rise and fall of manufacturing towns, and the advent of modern advertising.

Mimi Graney’s work in neighborhood economic development takes her to communities across Massachusetts where she focuses on creative industries and food-based businesses. She founded the What’s the Fluff? Festival, which draws thousands annually. Copies of her book Fluff: The Sticky Sweet Story of an American Icon will be sold at the talk.