Popsicles: The yummy summer treat born out of a kid’s play
Your summers would be incomplete without those brightly-coloured sticks of popsicles. But have you ever wondered how they came into being? Turns out that these yummy summer treats are the brainchild of an 11-year-old. This boy named Frank Epperson from San Francisco, US created the recipe as a fluke. Let’s find out more about this chance discovery.
Born on a winter night
Young kids do a lot of experiments with almost everything including food. They make rather unfamiliar mixes too! One winter night in 1905, Epperson mixed a soft drink made with soda water powder and water. He left the concoction out overnight with the stirrer inside, Not intentionally though! when he saw it in the morning, voila! A popsicle was born. The frozen soda blend tasted pretty delicious, according to Epperson.
The journey begins
Originally, the young entrepreneur declared his creation the Epsicle (combining the word icicle with his name) and started selling the treat around his neighbourhood. When it became famous around his area, in 1923, Epperson decided to expand his sales. He started selling at a nearby amusement park where consumers eagerly consumed Epsicles. Eventually, he changed the ice pop’s name to Popsicle on his children’s request. Motivated by the success of his offering, Epperson applied for a patent in 1924.
Shooting to popularity
However, Epperson sold the rights to his creation to the Joe Lowe Company in the 1920s. The Lowe Co. made Epperson's invention a national success. In 1939, the brand introduced its mascot, a boy dubbed Popsicle Pete, who was the face of its advertisement for the next five decades. In 1989, Good Humor, now a subsidiary of Unilever company, bought the rights to the Popsicle.
Over the years, this accidental invention by Epperson has achieved iconic status which also explains why Unilever has worked to keep the name ‘Popsicle’.
Epperson died in 1983 but he gave the world a cool summer treat to devour. Today, over 2 billion popsicles are sold each year.
Popsicle facts
- Do you know America even has a national day for popsicles called ‘National Cherry Popsicle Day’, fitting since cherry is America’s favourite Popsicle flavour.
- The first customers to buy Epsicles were Epperson’s classmates.
- Popsicles originally came in seven flavours - root beer, cherry, lemon, orange, banana, grape, and watermelon. But over 25 flavours are being sold today.
- A man in Nebraska was the first “ice cream truck” driver who went around selling popsicle ice pops to children in a horse-drawn cart.
- Popsicle sticks are made from birch wood.