Is Good and Plenty Vegan?
Not Vegan
Not certifiedGood and Plenty licorice candy is not vegan. The current formulation contains two clear animal-derived ingredients: carmine (a red dye made from crushed cochineal insects) listed under "artificial color," and confectioner's glaze (shellac, a resin secreted by the lac bug) used to give the candy shell its shiny coating.
The catch: Those iconic pink and white shells get their gloss from shellac (confectioner's glaze) and their pink color from carmine, both come from insects.
Category
Candy
Verdict
Not Vegan
Brand
Hershey
The ingredient statement reads: Sugar, corn syrup, enriched wheat flour, licorice extract, gum acacia, artificial color (including carmine, Red 40 Lake), rice starch, salt, natural and artificial flavor, confectioner's glaze, carnauba wax. Carmine (also labeled K-carmine or cochineal extract) is produced by crushing female cochineal scale insects and is used to create the pink coloring on the candy shell.
Confectioner's glaze is shellac dissolved in ethanol, shellac is the hardened resin secreted by the female lac bug (Kerria lacca) and harvested from tree bark. Both are standard insect-derived ingredients that the vast majority of vegans avoid.
Carnauba wax, also present, is plant-derived (from palm leaves) and is vegan. Red 40 Lake is synthetic and vegan.
The candy contains no dairy, eggs, gelatin, or honey. There is only one standard retail formulation, there are no regional variants or flavor lines that avoid the carmine and shellac problem.
Sugar is not certified organic or raw, so bone-char processing is possible, though this is a gray area most vegans do not treat as a hard disqualifier. The two insect-derived ingredients are the clear, non-debatable issues here.
What makes it non-vegan
- ✕carmine
- ✕confectioner's glaze (shellac)
Vegan alternatives
- ✓ Panda Licorice (100% vegan, natural ingredients, no artificial dyes)
- ✓ Red Vines (company confirms all products are vegan-friendly, no shellac or carmine)
- ✓ YumEarth Organic Licorice (certified organic and vegan, no artificial colors)
- ✓ SmartSweets Red Twists (vegan, low sugar, no shellac or insect-derived dyes)
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Frequently asked
Is Good and Plenty Vegan?
Good and Plenty licorice candy is not vegan. The current formulation contains two clear animal-derived ingredients: carmine (a red dye made from crushed cochineal insects) listed under "artificial color," and confectioner's glaze (shellac, a resin secreted by the lac bug) used to give the candy shell its shiny coating.
What is the catch with Good and Plenty?
Those iconic pink and white shells get their gloss from shellac (confectioner's glaze) and their pink color from carmine, both come from insects.
What can I use instead of Good and Plenty?
Vegan options include Panda Licorice (100% vegan, natural ingredients, no artificial dyes), Red Vines (company confirms all products are vegan-friendly, no shellac or carmine), YumEarth Organic Licorice (certified organic and vegan, no artificial colors), SmartSweets Red Twists (vegan, low sugar, no shellac or insect-derived dyes).
Is Good and Plenty certified vegan?
Good and Plenty does not carry a third-party vegan certification, so the verdict here is based on its current ingredient list and manufacturer information.
Sources
Last verified June 20, 2026. See how we verify. Always confirm on the current product label, since recipes change. Product photo via Open Food Facts.
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