Charms Blow Pops: History, Flavors & Facts

Snack History Nostalgia Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

What is better than a lollipop? A lollipop that also includes bubble gum! This is the theory that led to the creation of Charms Blow Pops and this turns out to have been a very successful concept. People love these lollipops that allow you to enjoy the gum at the center when you have finished the lollipop itself. Everyone loves lollipops and gum, and this is a treat that combines them both.

This candy comes in various flavors and the delightful flavor of the lollipops is offset nicely by the simplicity of the gum in the center of the treat. If you want to enjoy a really unique lollipop treat, you need to have Charms Blow Pops on your list of candies to enjoy. There are not any other lollipops on the market that are quite like it and this classic candy has not suffered a decline in popularity since it first caught on with candy lovers.

History

Charms Blow Pops were invented by Thomas Tate Tidwell Sr. This product would later be popularized by the Charms Candy Company. Charms Blow Pops were the first best-seller that this company had to offer. This is now their best-selling product of all time, even if they are no longer the company that markets them.

The original design for the candy was the brainchild of Vincent Ciccone, Walter Reid III, and Ross Cameron. Ciccone was considered a genius in the candy-making field and he was a trained chemist. He was responsible for more than 20 ideas, some of which were patented and used to make other products. Without the talents of Ciccone, it is likely that this candy product would never have existed.

In 1988, the Charms Candy Company was sold to Tootsie Roll Industries. The Blow Pop was added to their Tootsie Roll lineup and this was just in time for the Tootsie Roll candy lineup to launch Tootsie Roll to the largest lollipop manufacturer in the world. This candy would provide comfort to the troops in the second world war and enjoyment for many children and adults for years. Tootsie Roll did not own the product at this time, but they took over ably once they took control of the product later in its life.

Walter W. Reid founded the Charms Candy Company in 1912. The company was called Tropical Charms at first, which was related to the candies that they were selling at the time that were square and hard and wrapped in cellophane. Tropical Charms was later shortened to Charms since it was more general and would allow for the creation of additional products.

During the Second World War, the US Army actually sent Charms candies overseas in soldier rations. This was a product that was intended to be an easy-to-carry source of energy for soldiers who might be without resources for extended periods of time. This was the square candy that was related to the charms lollipop and not the lollipops themselves. This did give attention to the other products that were made by the candy company including the lollipops that were getting their own fan club at this time.

Charms at this time had developed lots of other products. They made pecan-filled chocolate bars that were called “25 Carats”. This was a product that was later discontinued due to competition with Hershey products, but they also made other lollipops like Charms “Jellies” and a product called Chuckles Gum Drops. There were also some peanut products that were created by the company.

In 1966, Thomas Tidwell filed a patent to make a lollipop that had gum inside of it. This would be the first product of this kind and he wanted to call it the Triple Treat. The idea was sold to Charms in 1973, and it would become the Blow Pop.

Charms Blow Pops were sold in watermelon, strawberry, cherry, grape, and sour apple. The sour apple product was originally shaped like an apple rather than the more traditional lollipop shape of the other suckers. This is no longer the case for current sour apple products that are part of the product lineup. Today, there are 16 flavors of this product and they all offer the strong and delicious flavoring that the candies have always been known for.  

Blow Pops are one of the most inventive and special candies that have been made in many generations, and the popularity of this candy continues even through to today. You will find that there are few lollipops that are this exciting to enjoy and this treat maintains its position as the most delicious lollipops around. The surprising nature of the center of this product is still special and still popular.

There are no other candies that are quite like the Charms Blow Pops and if you have never had one, you will realize why this is the case. While it might have sounded like a crazy idea when the candy was first suggested, the popularity of this product shows just how much a unique and well-marketed idea can flourish in any candy market.

Today, Charms Blow Pops are very popular at Halloween and both the full-sized and mini-size candies are offered to trick or treaters each year. This is one of the key parts of the year for sales of this product and kids are always very excited to get such a special and fun candy at a house that they approach for treats on this holiday. This is also a common choice for party bags at kids’ birthday parties and other events. Adults also love these treats and people who grew up loving them still enjoy getting the chance to have them whether it’s a holiday or not.

Logo

Flavors

• Watermelon
• Strawberry
• Cherry
• Grape
• Sour Apple
• Kiwi Berry Blast
• What a Melon
• Blue Razz Berry
• Cherry Ice
• Black Cherry
• Black Ice
• Blueberry
• Crazzberry
• Tropical Berry
• Blackberry
• Raspberry
• Blow Pop Minis

Ingredients

The ingredients for the Blow Pop are fairly simple:

• Sugar
• Corn syrup
• Gum base
• Starch
• Citric acid
• Glycerin
• Artificial flavors
• Artificial colors
• FD&C red 40
• FD&C Blue 1
• Turmeric coloring
• BHT

The ingredients for flavoring can vary per variety but that will be the only difference between the recipes of different flavors.

The gum that is inside the lollipops is not flavored like the candy on the outside. The bubblegum is a classic flavoring that you might associate with traditional, simple gum. This is a slightly sweet gum but not one that has a specific flavor related to any of the different varieties of these candies. This might seem a bit odd, but it actually makes the candies a pleasant study in different kinds of flavors and different experiences. The gum would not be as enjoyable if it was flavored like the sucker itself and this is one of the ways that this treat is different from other candies that are similar.

If you are not a fan of fruity gums and products that are sour or not commonly associated with gum, this is the right treat for your favored tastes. You will enjoy a really yummy lollipop and also a good, quality, basic gum at the same time. No fruity and odd gum products will ruin your enjoyment of your lollipop treat if you pick a Charms Blow Pops to enjoy.

Nutrition

Serving Size:	1 pop (18g)	% Daily Value*
Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat	0
Calories	70
Total Fat	0g	0%
Sodium	0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrates	17g	6%
Sugars	13g
Protein	0g
Calcium		15%

• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Livery

Charms Blow Pops has always been sold with colorful packaging. The current packaging is one that has been used for the products for many years. The wrapper background is white and the different varieties of sucker are indicated by the different stripes and polka dot colors on the wrapper. The Blow Pop logo is placed inside a circle in the middle of the lollipop on both sides and the colorful tops of the wrappers are twisted to close the wrapper around the lollipop. The sticks for each lollipop are simple, classic, white sticks.

This is one of the most classic liveries for a lollipop that is offered in the candy market today. This is a good indication of the loyalty of the company to their recipe and the product itself. These kinds of classic candies are often best marketed with their original packaging and this is why these candies are still sold using their classic wrappers and design. The unique and classic design of the wrappers makes these candies stand out from the competing products these days and this is one of the cleverer parts of the marketing of the candies today.

People who have loved Blow Pops for years will immediately recognize this product even today and that is one of the draws that keep people coming back again and again to enjoy this lovely treat. Even those who are not familiar with the product can be told what it looks like and reliably find it to try it out. The classic wrappers of this candy are some of the strongest aspects of the marketing plan for this product even today.

Pictures

Commercials:

An 80s or early 90s ad:

Another 90s ad:

A 70s ad:

Another 80s ad: