In 1904, Emil J. Brach invested his $1,000 life savings in a storefront candy store located at the corner of North Avenue and Towne Street in Chicago, Illinois.

In 1948, an electrical spark ignited corn starch, causing a massive explosion on the plant's third floor that killed 11 employees and injured 18.

Reconstruction brought the plant's capacity up to more than 4 million pounds of product per year, and it employed 2,400 workers,[1] in 2,200,000 square feet (200,000 m2).

In August 2007, an administrative building was blown up for the filming of The Dark Knight,[3] with the rest of the complex being demolished in 2014 and currently remaining as parking space.

After the war, Brach's concentrated on bulk and bagged candies as Halloween Trick or treating became a popular activity.

Customers could choose from a wide selection of items in bulk containers, scooping their choices, and paying one price per pound.

[1] Pick-A-Mix brought the dying traditional method of buying candy at the local corner or general store into the era of the modern supermarket.

[2][6] Jacobs almost immediately fired Brach's top officers and gutted the leadership of its sales, marketing, production, and finance departments.

Former executives cited Jacobs's autocratic management style at Suchard and his inability to recognize the difference between American and European candy consumption habits.

Disagreements with Klaus Jacobs on marketing and management strategies continued, particularly over commodity vs. branded (Brach's) products.

In 1993 alone, Brach's saw three different CEO's, and continued to experience a high rate of turnover and dismissals within the sales and marketing departments.

As part of the deal, Barry Callebaut agreed to assume $16 million in debt, fund restructuring efforts for five years and paid a symbolic $1.00 for the company.

The company's first product was caramels, which it produced through a process that allowed it to underprice competition, creating a large demand.