Dubble Bubble facts for kids
| Product type | Bubble gum |
|---|---|
| Owner | Tootsie Roll Industries |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1928 |
| Markets | Tootsie Pop Palace |
| Previous owners | Fleer Concord Confections |
Dubble Bubble is a famous American brand of sweet, fruit-flavored bubble gum. It is best known for its bright pink color and stretchy texture. An accountant named Walter Diemer invented it in 1928 while working at the Fleer Chewing Gum Company. Today, children and adults all over the world still enjoy blowing big bubbles with this classic treat.
| Nutritional value per 2 (20 grams) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 70 kcal (290 kJ) |
|
18
|
|
| Sugars | 14 |
| Dietary fiber | 0 |
|
0
|
|
| Saturated | 0 |
| Trans | 0 |
|
Protein
|
0
|
| Vitamins | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Vitamin A equiv. |
0%
0 μg |
| Vitamin C |
0%
0 mg |
| Minerals | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Calcium |
0%
0 mg |
| Iron |
0%
0 mg |
| Potassium |
0%
1 mg |
| Sodium |
0%
0 mg |
| Other constituents | Quantity |
| Cholesterol | 0 |
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. | |
Contents
The History of Dubble Bubble Gum
The story of Dubble Bubble began in the city of Philadelphia. The owner of the Fleer company, Frank H. Fleer, wanted to make a fun candy for kids. In 1906, he invented an early recipe called Blibber-Blubber. Sadly, that mixture was far too sticky. It fell apart easily and stuck to people's faces, so the company stopped making it.
More than twenty years later, an office worker named Walter Diemer decided to experiment. He loved testing recipes in his spare time. In 1928, he finally discovered a mix that was stretchy and much less sticky than regular candy. Diemer blew a giant bubble to test it out. It worked perfectly without making a huge mess.
Diemer had one problem right away: he forgot to write down his exact measurements! It took him four months of hard work to recreate the successful recipe. When he finally made a fresh 300-pound batch, the only food coloring in the factory was pink. Because of that happy accident, most bubble gums are still made pink today.
Diemer wrapped 100 pieces using a salt water taffy machine. He brought them to a local candy shop where each piece cost just one penny. Every single piece sold out that very afternoon. Sales quickly soared past 1.5 million dollars in the first year. Diemer even taught store clerks how to blow huge bubbles so they could teach customers.
Fun Comics and Changing Times
Starting in 1930, each piece of gum included a tiny wrapper comic called the Fleer Funnies. Early comic strips featured two characters named Dub and Bub. In 1950, a cheerful boy mascot named Pud took over the comic strips. Kids loved collecting these numbered comic wrappers and reading silly jokes and trivia.
During World War II, gum makers faced difficult shortages of ingredients like sugar and latex. As a result, the factory had to stop making gum for a while in 1942. Instead, existing supplies were sent out to the military to help soldiers feel better.
Production started up again in 1951. Fleer introduced the first gum six-pack in 1957. Over time, the company created round gumballs and shared the treat with other countries. Later on, a candy company called Concord Confections bought the brand in 1998. The famous sweet maker Tootsie Roll Industries took over ownership in 2003.
What Goes Inside Dubble Bubble?
Every tasty piece of gum uses a special blend of sweet and chewy ingredients:
- Sugar provides a burst of sweet flavor.
- Dextrose and corn syrup keep the candy soft and moist.
- Gum base gives the gum its springy stretch for blowing giant bubbles.
- Tapioca dextrin and corn starch help shape the pieces.
- Shiny coatings use natural carnauba wax and edible confectioner's glaze.
- Titanium dioxide and food coloring give the candy bright colors.
- Tasty artificial flavors create the classic fruity taste.
- A safe ingredient called BHT helps keep the gum fresh on store shelves.
Dubble Bubble is made without nuts, peanuts, or wheat gluten, making it safer for children with food allergies.