Do you know how licorice is made? Visit an all-organic licorice factory. Junee farmer Alan Druce has been growing wheat organically since the 1960s.

Always on the lookout for new ways to use his wheat flour, in 1998 he started selling it for licorice making. Flour is a major ingredient in licorice, along with molasses, powdered licorice root, raw sugar, glucose and aniseed oil. In late 2001 Alan’s son Neil started all-organic licorice production at a purpose-built plant (before that it was being made by another local business).

1. The mixers are loaded with molasses, sugar, extract and flour. Mixture is mixed for about 2 1/2 hours.
2. The dark sticky mixture is then put in a cooker.
3. It then goes into an extruder (giant mincer) and is piped out in holes the other end in long ropes.
4. It is then dipped in bee’s wax and alcohol
5. The ropes land on a conveyor belt.
6. Finally, it is cut and packed.

Because Green Grove licorice is fully organic, it is mainly sold through health food stores. Neil buys most of his licorice extract from China. But there is a project underway to grow licorice root locally – at the nearby town of Finley. And yes, licorice is good for you!

Licorice has long been used as a herb and a herbal medicine – even as far back as 5000 years ago in China. Commercial licorice comes from the sweet-tasting roots of a leguminous plant called Glycyrrhiza glabra. The roots are pulped and boiled and the extract evaporated. Once upon a time, licorice was sold as a pure, hardened extract. Now it is mixed with other ingredients to produce commercial sweets