Cracker Jack facts for kids
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| Type | Caramel coated popcorn and peanuts |
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| Owner | PepsiCo (via Frito-Lay) |
| Introduced | 1896 |
| Previous owners | The Cracker Jack Company Borden |
Cracker Jack is a famous American snack! It's made of popcorn and peanuts covered in sweet caramel. For a long time, every box came with a fun little prize inside. The name "Cracker Jack" and its slogan, "The More You Eat The More You Want," were first used way back in 1896. Some people even call it the very first 'junk food' ever!
Cracker Jack is super famous for its link to baseball. You often hear about it in baseball songs and see it at games. Since 1997, the company Frito-Lay has owned and sold Cracker Jack. In 2016, Frito-Lay changed the prizes. Instead of a toy, you now get a QR code to download a baseball game on your phone.
Contents
How Cracker Jack Started
People have been making sweet popcorn with peanuts for a long time. Records show it was sold in North America as early as the 1800s. For example, a newspaper in Illinois advertised sugar-coated popcorn in 1857.
In Chicago, there are two stories about how Cracker Jack began. One story says Charles F. Gunther, known as "The Candy Man," invented it. The other story credits Frederick William Rueckheim, a German immigrant. He started selling popcorn in Chicago in 1871.
Frederick's popcorn was made by hand. In 1873, his brother Louis joined him. They formed a company called F. W. Rueckheim & Bro.
A New Recipe and a Big Fair
The Rueckheim brothers created a new recipe. It included popcorn, peanuts, and a sweet syrup called molasses. They first showed it to people at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. This was a huge world's fair! However, this early version was very sticky.
In 1896, Louis Rueckheim found a way to stop the popcorn from sticking together. He added a secret amount of oil while mixing it. This made the snack much easier to eat.
Naming and Packaging Cracker Jack
The first batch of Cracker Jack was made in 1896. That same year, the name and the slogan "The More You Eat, the More You Want" were officially registered. The name "Cracker Jack" came from a common saying. If something was "crackerjack," it meant it was excellent!
In 1899, Henry Gottlieb Eckstein created a special package. It was sealed with wax to keep the snack fresh. This "Eckstein Triple Proof Package" protected the Cracker Jack from dust, germs, and moisture.
In 1902, the company changed its name to Rueckheim Bros. & Eckstein. A famous song helped Cracker Jack become even more popular. In 1907, the song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" was released. It has a line that says: "Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack!" This gave the snack lots of free advertising.
In 1922, the company's name changed again. It became The Cracker Jack Company.
Meet Sailor Jack and Bingo
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Cracker Jack has two famous mascots: Sailor Jack and his dog, Bingo. They first appeared around 1916 and became official trademarks in 1919. Sailor Jack was based on Frederick Rueckheim's grandson, Robert. Robert was only 7 years old when he passed away. The image of the sailor boy was so important to the company's founder that he had it carved on his own tombstone.
Who Owns Cracker Jack Now?
The Cracker Jack Company was bought by Borden in 1964. It was made in Northbrook, Illinois, for many years. Later, Borden sold the brand to PepsiCo in 1997. PepsiCo owns Frito-Lay, so Cracker Jack became part of the Frito-Lay family. Frito-Lay then moved the production of Cracker Jack to a company called Wyandot Snacks in Ohio.
In 2013, Frito-Lay announced some changes to Cracker Jack. They added more peanuts and updated the prizes. The goal was to make the prizes more exciting for modern times.
Cracker Jack'D
In 2013, Frito-Lay launched a new line of snacks called Cracker Jack'D. These snacks were different from the original Cracker Jack. They came in black packaging instead of the usual red and white. The mascots, Sailor Jack and Bingo, were shown up close. Unlike the original, Cracker Jack'D snacks did not include prizes.
One of the Cracker Jack'D products, Power Bites, caused some discussion. People were worried because it contained caffeine. They were concerned about the possible effects on children or pregnant women.
Cracker Jack and Baseball
Cracker Jack is well-known for being sold at baseball games. It's even mentioned in the famous American song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game".
From 1982 to 1985, Cracker Jack sponsored special "Old-Timers Classic" baseball games. These games featured former MLB players. They were held in Washington, D.C.
On June 16, 1993, Cracker Jack celebrated its 100th birthday at Wrigley Field. This is a famous baseball stadium in Chicago. Before the game, Sailor Jack, the company's mascot, threw out the first pitch!
In 2004, the New York Yankees baseball team tried to replace Cracker Jack. They used a different snack called Crunch 'n Munch at their home games. But fans were upset! So, the Yankees quickly brought Cracker Jack back.
Cracker Jack Advertising
Cracker Jack started advertising on television in 1955. They sponsored a TV show called On Your Account. This show was seen on many TV stations across the country.
The actor Jack Gilford was in many Cracker Jack TV commercials. He appeared in them from 1960 to 1972. He was famous for his funny "rubber face" in the ads.
The puppeteer Shari Lewis and her puppet Lamb Chop also appeared in Cracker Jack commercials in 1961.
A new TV ad for Cracker Jack was shown during the Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999. This was the first time Cracker Jack had advertised on TV in 15 years! The ad also showed off the company's new bag packaging. It was the first time Cracker Jack was sold in something other than its classic box.
Prizes Inside!
Cracker Jack boxes used to always include a small "mystery" item. These were called "Toy Surprises." The old slogan for Cracker Jack was "Candy-coated popcorn, peanuts and a prize." Now, under Frito-Lay, it's "Caramel-coated popcorn & peanuts."
Prizes have been in every box of Cracker Jack since 1912. One of the first prizes was in 1914. The company made baseball cards featuring players from different leagues. Early "toy surprises" included rings, plastic figures, small books, stickers, and even decoder rings. People collect these prizes, and there are even books about them!
Before 1937, many Cracker Jack toy prizes were made in Japan. During World War II, the prizes were made of paper because metal was needed for the war.
The idea of a "Cracker Jack prize" became famous. People would use the phrase "came in a Cracker Jack box" to describe something small or not very valuable. For example, a song by Jim Steinman says, "there ain't no Coupe de Ville hiding at the bottom of a Cracker Jack box." This means you won't find something super valuable in a Cracker Jack box.
Under Frito-Lay, the toy prizes changed. First, they were replaced with paper prizes that had riddles and jokes. Then, they became temporary tattoos. In 2013, some prizes became codes. You could use these codes to play "nostalgic" games on the Cracker Jack mobile app. In 2016, it was announced that these game codes would completely replace the physical prizes.
See also
In Spanish: Cracker Jack para niños
