Charms Blow Pops facts for kids
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| Product type | Confectionery |
|---|---|
| Owner | Tootsie Roll Industries |
| Introduced | 1973 |
| Previous owners | Charms |
Charms Blow Pops are super cool lollipops! They have a hard candy shell on the outside and a chewy bubble gum center inside. It's like two treats in one! These popular candies were first thought up by Thomas Tate Tidwell Sr. Later, the Charms Candy Company made them famous.
Contents
Discovering Charms Blow Pops
The Sweet Idea Behind Blow Pops
Blow Pops became the best-selling candy ever for the Charms Candy Company. In 1988, the Charms Candy Company was sold. It joined a bigger company called Tootsie Roll Industries. Tootsie Roll already made Tootsie Pops. With Blow Pops, they became the biggest lollipop maker in the whole world!
The Charms Candy Company Story
The Charms Candy Company started way back in 1912. It was founded by Walter W. Reid Jr. The company was first called Tropical Charms. This name came from their square-shaped hard candies. These candies were special because they were individually wrapped. They were one of the first candies to be wrapped in cellophane. Tropical Charms began in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Later, the company's name was shortened to just Charms.
Charms Candies During World War II
During World War II, something interesting happened. The U.S. Army started giving Charms candies to soldiers. These candies were part of their combat rations. They gave soldiers extra energy. This tradition has continued for many years.
Growing the Candy Business
After the war, Walter Reid III took over the company. He was the son of the founder. He helped Charms become a top producer of hard candy. The company was also led by Ross B. Cameron Sr. and his two sons.
Charms made many different kinds of candies. They made chocolate bars called "25 Carats." These had pecans inside. They also made "Jellies" and Chuckles Gum Drops. Later, they created a hard candy shaped like a peanut. It had peanut butter inside.
How the Blow Pop Was Invented
On November 28, 1966, Thomas T. Tidwell had a great idea. He was the founder of Triple T. Co. Inc. He filed a patent for "Method for making candy with gum inside." His company first sold this candy as the Triple Treat. Then, in 1973, Triple T sold the idea to Charms. Charms renamed it the Blow Pop.
Blow Pop Flavors and Factories
Blow Pops come in many yummy flavors. You can find watermelon, strawberry, cherry, grape, and sour apple. The sour apple flavor was added later. It was first shaped like a round apple.
The Charms Candy Company moved its factory in 1973. It moved from Bloomfield, New Jersey, to Freehold, New Jersey. Later, the company bought and built a new factory. This modern factory is in Covington, Tennessee. It is still used today to make Charms candies.
Other Popular Charms Candies
Besides the famous Blow Pop, Charms made other candies. These included Charms Squares and Sweet & Sour Pops. They also made Sour Balls and many other smaller candy products.
