Pixy Stix: History, Flavors & Varieties
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Snack History Nostalgia Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Pixy Stix is one of the most unique candies out there and these little tubes of sugary candy are really popular with kids and adults alike. There is something really fun and tasty about these little candy sticks and all of the flavors are tart and sweet at the same time which is always a nice flavor profile.
These are some of the most enjoyable candies to snack on and you have probably tried them out at least once at some point. If you have not had these little sugary and tart treats, you need to take the time to pick up a bag of these little candy snacks and try them out. There is nothing like Pixy Stix for a great little candy treat that isn’t too sweet or too sour.
| Pixy Stix | Facts |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1942 |
| Manufacturer | Originally Fruzola Company (St. Louis), later Sunline Inc, then Nestlé (Wonka brand), now Ferrero SpA |
| Candy Type | Powdered sugar candy in a paper or plastic tube |
| Original Flavors | Basic fruit flavors including grape, orange, and cherry |
| Still Available | Yes |
| Country of Origin | United States |
| Parent Company | Ferrero SpA |
History
Pixy Stix is sold as a sweet and sour candy that is sold in a little tube that looks like a paper straw. These little packets contain a mouthful of sugary and tart fruit-flavored candy that you can pour into your mouth and suck on. These are simple candies that were made by Frutoli in St. Louis originally. This candy was thought up when a water flavoring product became popular to consume with the water. Many people think that Pixy Stix was thought up out of nowhere, but this candy was actually the result of this development with another product.
The original candy was made in 1942 as a derivative of a powdered candy that was sold by a company called the Fruzola Company. This drink mix was being eaten by people in powder form rather than being enjoyed as a drink when mixed with water. This sparked the idea for Pixy Stix and led to the creation of this memorable candy.
The Fruzola Company later was renamed Sunline Inc and became the maker of Lik-M-Aid which is a little bit like Pixy Stix. Nestle took over the candy and changed the marketing materials a little to appeal to kids of all ages with their Wonka label but have recently sold the products in this line up to Ferrero SpA.
The interesting thing about the foundation of Pixy Stix is that they were linked with the original product that was made to improve the taste of water. This seems like a new invention from the last fifteen years or so, but it was thought of in the 1930s and led to the creation of this unique candy.
It is undeniably true that kids have better access to candy than they would to a drink mix and it is easier to market a candy that is fun and tart and sweet to kids than it is to market a drink mix to them. This was a clever marketing idea and it has led to a very successful candy that has stood the test of time.
This candy was not as popular as you would have thought originally. It wasn’t until 1952 that the candy started to really catch on. The straw that holds the candy makes this a really ideal treat for kids, but it took a while for the candy bar craze to give way to fruity candies being popular. Parents were not really fond of Pixy Stix for kids since it was so easy to eat too many of them at once, but they have secured a foothold that they have never let go of.
Nestle sold this candy today under the Wonka Brand and the whimsy and fun of this part of the lineup were clear in the new Pixy Stix marketing efforts. You will enjoy striped candy sleeves as well as slightly more tart flavors and fun packaging when you buy this candy today with the Wonka label on it. It remains to be seen what Ferrero SpA will do with the candy brand.
Pixy Stix Timeline
- 1930s — Powdered water flavoring product inspires future candy concept
- 1942 —
- 1942 — Fruzola Company launches powdered candy in St. Louis
- 1952 — Pixy Stix gains mainstream popularity with consumers
- 2012 — Ferrara Pan and Farley's & Sathers merge to form Ferrara Candy Company
- 2017 — Ferrero Group acquires Ferrara Candy Company
- 2018 — Ferrero SpA purchases Nestlé's U.S. candy line for $2.8 billion
Pixy Stix vs Fun Dip
| Feature | Pixy Stix | Fun Dip |
|---|---|---|
| Texture | Loose powder poured from a tube | Loose powder consumed via candy dipping stick |
| Introduced | 1942 | 1942 (as Lik-M-Aid) |
| Manufacturer | Ferrero SpA (via Ferrara) | Ferrara Candy Company |
| Flavors | Grape, Cherry, Orange, Strawberry, Watermelon, and more | Cherry Yum Diddly, Razz Apple Magic Dip, Grape Yumptious |
| Price Range | Affordable, sold individually or in bulk bags | Affordable, sold individually or in multi-packs |
| Availability | Widely available in stores and online | Widely available in stores and online |
| Format | Paper or plastic straw-like tube | Packet with powder and edible candy stick |
Logo
Buy Online
You can also buy Pixy Stix at Old Time Candy by clicking the image below.
Flavors and Varieties
There are actually a variety of flavors of this candy. They are not all sold in the same packaging and there are special packages that contain some of the more unusual flavors. This is a candy that was originally sold with basic fruit flavors and these are the most familiar Pixy Stix when you ask most people what the candies are like.
The flavors of Pixy Stix are:
- Grape
- Maui Slap (Blue Raspberry)
- Orange
- Cherry
- Strawberry
- Cucumber Watermelon
- Mango Lime
- Pineapple
Most of the flavors are a little bit sweet and a little bit sour and you will enjoy a really tart and yummy candy experience when you tear the tops off of these cute little sticks of candy. The powder is soft and easy to dissolve on your tongue no matter which flavor you choose for your enjoyment. This is a candy that is a lot like Fun Dip in texture and you will love Pixy Stix flavors if you like this other powdery candy.
The Giant Pixy Stix is made in large plastic tubes that are 14 inches long. These are made in grape, Maui punch, cherry, or orange. This is a lot of candy when compared to the smaller tubes and you will find that this is almost a little overwhelming to eat. You will get a really giant Pixy Stix but it can be tough to enjoy since the tube is so large and hard to work with. This is a fun gimmick and you can get a lot of candy in one tube, but you will probably find that eating it is really tough.
This is more of a gimmick product than one that you can actually enjoy and you will find that most people far prefer the smaller Stix than this bigger product. This is a really silly and funny thing to give to someone who loves Pixy Stix and you might get a really good laugh out of it. If you want to enjoy this candy, however, you will need to get the smaller stix for your enjoyment.
Pixy Stix and Sweet Tarts and Lik-M-Aid
Pixy Stix was the precursor which gave rise to the creation of Lik-M-Aid and Sweet Tarts. The flavor profile of the other candies is readily familiar when you try out Pixy Stix and you can see that they could have been the basis for these other candies when you think about it. Lik-M-Aid was a dipping powder candy like Fun-Dip. SweeTarts are clearly related to the Pixy Stix flavor profile and despite the difference in texture between the two candies, the flavors make it clear that they are linked candies.
Nestle sold SweeTarts to Ferrero SpA as well. This set of candies might change some under the new management that Ferrero SpA will provide. Hopefully, the fun and enjoyable candy-making experience that was associated with Wonka candies will be continued by the new owner.
Ingredients
From the Ferrara Candy Shop entry for Pixy Stix:
- Dextrose
- Maltodextrin
- Citric acid
- Natural flavors
- Blue 1 lake
- Blue 2 lake
- Red 40 lake
- Yellow 5 lake
- Yellow 6 lake
This is a simple candy that delivers a lot of flavor despite being a simple candy to make and sell. You get a lot of bang for your buck with this candy and you will love this tart and sweet candy if you are trying to avoid complex sweets with lots of fake ingredients in them.
Nutrition
| Serving Size: | 1 straw (2.84g) | % Daily Value* |
| Calories | 9 | |
| Calories from Fat | 0 | 0% |
| Total Fat | 0g | |
| Sodium | 0mg | 0% |
| Carbohydrates | 2.1g | |
| Net carbs | 2.1g | |
| Sugar | 2.1g | |
| Fiber | 0g | 0% |
| Protein | 0g | |
| Vitamins and minerals | ||
| Fatty acids | ||
| Amino acids |
- The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs.
Marketing
The original Pixy Stix candy was sold in tubes just like the candies are today. The candy was sold in cellophane tubes with a slightly different stripe pattern than the tubes that are made today and there were boxes and other marketing materials that showed a pixy enjoying the candy. The marketing materials said things like, “If you could view Pixy Stix Candy through the eyes of children you would see why it sells on sight”.
The candy sold for 5 cents a package originally. The candies were displayed in boxes that were colorful and were definitely sold with an eye to convincing parents that their kids would love these little candies. The 5 for 5 cents ploy worked really well and parents felt like this would keep their kids from eating pure sugar in large amounts.
Today, the candies are sold in larger bags that can have as many as 85 candy straws in them. The extra-large Pixy Stix are sold individually but these are very large plastic straws that contain a lot of the candy. With the rise of online ordering, you can get huge bags of these candies that hold up to 300 stix. This has led to an outcry by parents again about the sugary nature of this candy and the volume of candy sticks in each bag. The marketing is colorful and targeted at kids, so this might be a fair accusation in some situations.
Pictures
Commericals and Videos:
An older ad which was made as a joke:
Some people who made a massive Pixy Stix for fun:
A Pixy Stix taste test:
Frequently Asked Questions about Pixy Stix
What is the origin of Pixy Stix?
Pixy Stix originated in 1942 as a derivative of a powdered drink mix made by the Fruzola Company in St. Louis. The candy came about because people began eating the drink mix powder directly rather than mixing it with water. This unexpected consumer behavior sparked the idea to market the powder as a candy in its own right.
What flavors do Pixy Stix come in?
Pixy Stix come in a wide variety of flavors including Grape, Maui Slap (Blue Raspberry), Orange, Cherry, Strawberry, Cucumber, Watermelon, Mango, Lime, and Pineapple. Not all flavors are sold in the same packaging, and some of the more unusual flavors are found only in special packages. All flavors share a sweet and tart profile.
Who currently makes Pixy Stix?
Pixy Stix is currently owned by Ferrero SpA, which acquired the candy when it purchased Nestlé's U.S. candy line. Prior to that, Nestlé marketed the candy under its Wonka brand with colorful, whimsical packaging. Before Nestlé, the candy was produced by Sunline Inc, which was formerly known as the Fruzola Company.
What are Giant Pixy Stix?
Giant Pixy Stix are oversized versions of the classic candy that come in large 14-inch plastic tubes. They are available in grape, Maui punch, cherry, and orange flavors. While they contain a large amount of candy, the post notes that the giant tube can be difficult and unwieldy to eat, making it more of a novelty or gimmick product than a practical snack.
When did Pixy Stix become popular?
Although Pixy Stix were created in 1942, they did not gain significant popularity until around 1952. The delay was partly due to the dominance of candy bars at the time, as fruity candies took a while to gain mainstream appeal. Parents were also initially reluctant because the format made it very easy for kids to consume too many at once.
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