Fred W. Amend began the candy business in 1875, when, at the age of sixteen, he went to work in the plant at Henry Heide, Inc. in New York City.  In 1887, he started working for Dr. Beeman's Pepsin Gum. By 1900, he was selling bulk candy for Whitman's in Chicago. In 1915, Amend and his son, Fred, became employees of the Paul F. Beich Company, operating Beich's Chicago plant.

Fred W. Amend went into business for himself manufacturing marshmallow in 1921. Later that year, Amend began producing jelly candy from a formula he developed. The formula solved a problem – the outbreak of "sweat" on the surface of jelly candies. Fred's wife suggested the name Chuckles®, which hit the market in 1921.

The jellies were wrapped by hand in a rolled package. A twist at each end of the roll kept the candies from falling out. Today they are packaged in a 5- flavor strip to compete with candy bars sold at store counters.

Much of the early candy was sold in bulk to syndicate stores such as the F. W. Woolworth Company. With business growing, a new plant was built in Danville, IL in the 1930s. Originally the company was in downtown Chicago.

At the start of World War II, the popular candy became the center of an extensive advertising campaign for the Amend Company. The campaign was launched in twenty-one markets east of the Mississippi River and north of the Mason-Dixon line. In addition, Chuckles® was available as a food ration item in the United States, during World War II.

Billboards, car cards, newspapers and radio stations were used to promote the product. Slogans used included "5 flavors - 5 cents, America's favorite jelly candy," "Purest candy tastes just dandy, keep it handy," and "Best candy buy in town."

In September, 1974, the candy teamed up with Evel Knievel, the motorcycle daredevil, and his unsuccessful jump of the Snake River Canyon. With national coverage it brought a lot publicity for the candy, but it wasn't so successful for Knievel.

Farley's & Sathers Candy Company, Inc. currently maintains the license to manufacture and develop Chuckles® branded products – “Even the name says fun.™”