Tootsie Roll – The Beginning
Most of us have fond memories of this chewy, dental-destroying treat. Full of sugar, Tootsie Roll has fueled many fun playground adventures. But where did it all start?
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The inventory and founder was Leo Hirschfield, a Jewish immigrant from Austria. He was the son of a not-so-famous European candy maker but nevertheless you could say he was born into the confectionery business. Young Leo started his career by working for a small candy shop in New York City named Stern & Saalberg. It was this experience in manufacturing that led him to create a patent in 1907 for the now famous Tootsie Roll
What’s in a name?
Leo Hirschfield had a daughter named Clara and can you guess what her nickname was? TOOTSIE! And so, the name for one of the most iconic candies in history was born.
One of the unique features of the Tootsie Roll was the fact that each piece was individually wrapped. This may not seem like a big deal to us in modern times but back then a lot of candies were not individually wrapped and were placed in bulk bins, thus causing them to stick together. Big problem!
Penny Candy
Tootsie Roll was one of the original penny candies. Yes, that’s right. You could get an individually wrapped “midgee” for one penny. The larger “Logs” were a little more per piece. Things have changed today but it’s still a good deal for the quality you receive.
Candy Goes to War
Because Tootsie Rolls are very hard to melt or freeze, they were often packed into ration kits that were given to soldiers going off to war. That sweet treat must have been comforting to those brave heroes!
Lollipops
Not only has the Tootsie Roll been the center of attention on it’s own, it is also at the center of the world famous Tootsie Pop. This has led to the age-old question “How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center”. The wise old owl was there countless times asking this very question. The answer is still undetermined but give it a try and share your answer on social media. Inquiring minds want to know!
Over the years, manufacturers have expanded their lineup to including many other flavors including these:
Cherry, Blue Raspberry, Grape, Green Apple, Vanilla, Chocolate, Blue Raspberry, Mango, Strawberry, Root Beer, Orange, Smooth Cherry, Passion Fruit, Strawberry Lemonade, Cran-Blueberry, Fruit Punch, Lemon Lime, Watermelon, Pina Colada and Sour Cherry
Fun Facts
Today, over 83 million pieces are made every year!
The original sponsor of the ‘Lone Ranger’ was Tootsie Rolls
As the largest producer of lollipops in the USA, the company makes over 20 million of them annually
The ingredients to a Tootsie Roll are Sugar, Corn Syrup, Palm Oil, Condensed Skim Milk, Cocoa, Whey, Soy Lecithin, Artificial and Natural Flavors
Available sizes are as follows:
Mini Midgee 13 pieces (40g)
Juniors 4 pieces (40g)
Midgee 6 pieces (40g)
Snack Bar 2 pieces (32g)
0.5 oz 3 bars (43g)
2.5 oz (71g)
2.25 oz bar (64g)
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