York Peppermint Pattie facts for kids
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A circular pattie with a soft mint center coated in dark chocolate.
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| Product type | Confectionery |
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| Owner | The Hershey Company |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1940 |
| Related brands | York Miniatures |
| Markets | United States United Kingdom |
| Tagline | Get The York Sensation Get The Sensation |
The York Peppermint Pattie is a famous American candy. It has a cool, minty center covered in rich dark chocolate. This sweet treat was first made in 1940. Today, the Hershey Company produces it.
Contents
The Story of York Peppermint Patties
How the Candy Began
Around 1920, a man named Henry Kessler started the York Cone Company. This company was in York, Pennsylvania. At first, they sold ice cream cones and waffles. But Henry Kessler wanted to make a new candy. He wanted it to be a mix of chocolate and mint.
Many people think the York Peppermint Pattie was first made in 1940. However, company records show it might have been made as early as 1922. This was soon after the company started.
A Unique Candy
Before the York Peppermint Pattie, other chocolate-covered mints existed. But the York candy was special. It was firmer and had a crisp "snap" when you broke it. Other mint candies were often softer.
Workers at the factory had a special test for the candy. They would snap it in half. If it didn't break cleanly, it was not perfect. This "snap test" made sure every York Peppermint Pattie was just right.
At first, the candy was sold only in the local area. But soon, it became popular without much advertising. People in the Northeast, parts of the Midwest, and Florida started buying them.
Changes Over Time
On August 22, 1966, a new character appeared in the Peanuts comic strip. Her name was Peppermint Patty. This was a fun connection to the candy!
In 1972, a company called Peter Paul bought the York Cone Company. Peter Paul then started selling York Peppermint Patties all over the country in 1975.
Later, in 1978, Peter Paul joined with another candy company called Cadbury. Then, in 1988, Hershey bought the US candy businesses from Cadbury. This included the York Peppermint Pattie, along with other popular candies like Almond Joy and Mounds.
For many years, York Peppermint Patties were made in Reading, Pennsylvania. But in 2009, the production moved to Mexico.
Promoting the Peppermint Pattie
Catchy Slogans
In the 1970s, Peter Paul started a famous advertising campaign. The slogan was "Get the Sensation." This catchy phrase is still used today! A TV commercial in 1979 helped make the slogan well-known.
In 1982, Peter Paul also used an "I Love New York" theme in their ads. This was to tell people that they had added 10% more chocolate to the candy.
National Peppermint Patty Day
Did you know there's a special day for this candy? National Peppermint Patty Day is celebrated every year on February 11!
Types of York Peppermint Patties
How They Are Made
In the candy world, "enrobing" means covering a candy or snack with chocolate. The York Peppermint Pattie has a strong taste contrast. The slightly bitter dark chocolate goes perfectly with the sweet, strong peppermint center.
Different Kinds of Patties
Over the years, many different versions of the York Peppermint Pattie have been made:
- Sugar Free Peppermint Patties – These are like the original, but without sugar.
- Chocolate Truffle Mint – Introduced in 2004, this one had a brown filling.
- Limited Edition Pink Pattie – This special pink-filled patty came out in October 2005. Part of the money from sales went to help breast cancer research.
- York Mints – These small mints came in a tin in 2007. They had a mint shell, chocolate inside, and more mint.
- York Peppermint Bites – Introduced in 2003, these were small, round candies.
- Peppermint Batties – These were bat-shaped patties made for Halloween. They were later replaced by pumpkin shapes.
- Peppermint Patties Pumpkins – These pumpkin-shaped patties with orange filling came out in October 2007 for Halloween.
- Peppermint Patties Miniature Hearts Heart Box – Heart-shaped patties sold in a heart-shaped box for Valentine's Day.
- Peppermint Pattie Snowflakes – Snowflake-shaped patties made for Christmas.
- Egg-Shaped Patties – These were made for Easter.
- York Chocolate Peppermint Pattie Easter Bunny – A chocolate bunny with peppermint flavor for Easter.
See also
In Spanish: York Peppermint Pattie para niños
