Pop-Tarts facts for kids
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Frosted Strawberry flavor Pop-Tarts
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| Product type | Toaster pastry |
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| Owner | Kellanova |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | September 14, 1964 |
| Related brands | Pop-Tart Bites, Pop-Tart Crisps, Pop-Tart Cereal |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners | Kellogg's (1964–2023) |
| Tagline | "Crazy Good!" |
Pop-Tarts are yummy toaster pastries made by Kellanova (which used to be Kellogg's). They've been around since 1964! Each Pop-Tart has a sweet filling tucked inside two thin layers of pastry. Most kinds also have frosting on top.
Even though they're already cooked, you can warm them up in a toaster or microwave oven. They usually come in packs of two and don't need to be kept in the fridge. Pop-Tarts are super popular in the United States, with millions sold every year! You can also find them in Canada and the United Kingdom. There are tons of Pop-Tarts flavors, including special ones that only appear for a short time.
Contents
The Story of Pop-Tarts
In the early 1960s, a company called Post invented a way to keep food fresh by drying it and sealing it in foil. They first used this for dog food, but then thought about breakfast! Post announced their new breakfast pastry, called "Country Squares", in 1964.
Because Post told everyone about their new product early, Kellogg's quickly worked to make their own version. They hired a person named Bill Post to help. In just four months, Kellogg's created their own breakfast pastry!
It was first called Fruit Scones. But soon, the name changed to Pop-Tarts. This was a fun play on words, like the popular Pop Art movement at the time. Pop-Tarts became so popular that Kellogg's couldn't make them fast enough! The first Pop-Tarts sold out in just two weeks. Kellogg's even put out ads saying sorry for the empty shelves, which made people want them even more.
The first Pop-Tarts came in four flavors: strawberry, blueberry, brown sugar cinnamon, and apple currant. Apple currant was soon renamed apple-berry. When they first came out in 1964, Pop-Tarts didn't have frosting. But Kellogg's soon found a way to make frosting that wouldn't melt in the toaster. The first frosted Pop-Tarts came out in 1967. Sprinkles were added to some flavors in 1968.
Today, there are over 24 regular Pop-Tart flavors. These include hot fudge sundae, s'mores, raspberry, and grape. Pop-Tarts were also introduced to the United Kingdom in the early 1990s.
In 2001, the United States military sent 2.4 million Pop-Tarts to soldiers in Afghanistan.
A special store called Pop-Tarts World opened in Times Square in New York City in 2010. It had Pop-Tarts items, a cafe, and a vending machine. The store closed at the end of 2010.
By As of 2014[update], Pop-Tarts sales had grown for 32 years in a row! In 2023, Pop-Tarts became part of Kellanova. This happened when Kellogg's split off its breakfast cereal business. Sales kept growing, reaching over $985 million in 2023.
Pop-Tarts Flavors and Types
Kellanova usually makes between 20 and 30 flavors at any time. They are always trying new flavors to see what people like.
Standard Flavors
Some Pop-Tart flavors have been around for over 50 years! These include popular ones like frosted strawberry and brown sugar cinnamon. Kellanova also adds new flavors regularly and stops making ones that don't sell well. For example, in 2020, they added three new Pretzel flavors.
Seasonal Flavors
Kellanova makes some flavors for a short time each year. These often match holidays or seasons. For example, Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts come out every Fall since 2011. Red White and Blueberry Pop-Tarts return every summer since 2012.
Limited Flavors
Between 2005 and 2021, Kellogg's made special "Limited Edition" flavors. These were only sold for about six months. Sometimes, they worked with other food brands like Dunkin' Donuts or Jolly Rancher. They also made Pop-Tarts that tasted like other Kellogg's brands, such as Froot Loops or Eggo.
If a limited flavor sold really well, Kellogg's might keep making it longer or even make it a regular flavor. Red Velvet was a limited flavor in 2013. It sold so well that it became a standard flavor again in 2021.
In the summer of 2021, a limited flavor called "Mister-E" was stopped quickly. Kellogg's pulled it after many complaints. It was later confirmed to be "Everything Bagel" flavored.
Pop-Tarts Around the World
Fewer Pop-Tarts flavors are available outside the United States. This is because some countries have different rules about food colors or ingredients like high fructose corn syrup.
In Europe, only three flavors are usually available:
- Frosted Apple Blast
- Frosted Chocotastic
- Frosted Strawberry Sensation
Other Pop-Tarts Products
Over the years, Kellogg's has made other products similar to Pop-Tarts:
- Danish Go-Rounds (later Danish Rings) were oval-shaped toaster pastries with fruit filling. Kellogg's made them from 1968 to 1972.
- Presto Pizza was a pizza-flavored toaster pastry made in 1971, but it didn't last long.
- Pastry Swirls came out in the mid-1990s. They were bigger and thicker than regular Pop-Tarts and had less icing. They were stopped in 2001.
- Snak-Stix were a break-apart version meant for snacks. They were introduced in 1999 but stopped a year later.
- Go-Tarts were another snack-sized product from 2006 to 2008. They were thicker and wrapped individually.
- Mini Crisps were small, cracker-like pastries with no filling. They were brought back in 2018 as Pop Tart Crisps, which are larger bars with filling and frosting.
- Pop-Tarts Bites are small, bite-sized versions sold in pouches. They first came out in 1994, then returned in 2018.
- Pop Tarts Cereal was first made in 1994 and returned in 2019.
- Crunchy Poppers came out in 2024. They are small, crunchy, bite-sized pastries with filling and frosting.
Advertising Pop-Tarts
In the 1970s, Pop-Tarts ads featured a talking toaster named Milton. Milton was very popular, and you could find his picture on mugs, plates, and even board games!
In 2004, Pop-Tarts started a new ad campaign called "Crazy Good". These ads often showed a singing lizard and kids who made the Pop-Tarts get eaten or run away. The ads used a fun, wiggly animation style.
In 2006, a group that checks ads for children suggested that Kellogg's change their packaging. They asked Kellogg's to remove the phrase "made with real fruit" because it could be misleading. Kellogg's agreed and changed their packages.
In 2023, Kellanova sponsored a college football game called the Pop-Tarts Bowl. The mascot, a giant dancing strawberry Pop-Tart, became very famous online. This was because it went into a huge toaster and was "eaten" by the winning team!
Pop-Tarts Recalls
Sometimes, Pop-Tarts have been recalled (taken back from stores) because of wrong labels. This can be serious if someone has a food allergy.
- In 1995, some boxes of Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts actually had Chocolate Fudge ones inside.
- In 2002, Kellogg's announced that some Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts had egg in them, but it wasn't listed on the package.
- In 2006, they warned that some Frosted Blueberry Pop-Tarts had milk in them, which was also not listed.
See also
In Spanish: Pop-tarts para niños
