The History of Cow Tales

Cow Tales were introduced by Goetze's Candy Company in 1984. They are made using the same secret recipe as Bulls-Eyes (also known as Caramel Creams). Cow Tales were also named in tandem with Bulls-Eyes — since the former candy, which has been around since 1918, was technically named for one end of a cow (the eyes), Goetze's decided to playfully name Cow Tales after the opposite end (the tail). However, since the Cow Tales packaging slightly resembles that of dried beef sticks, the family-owned company wanted to avoid confusion about what was actually in their product, so they used the term “Tales” instead of “Tails.” Reportedly, the name was also chosen for its whimsy and ability to evoke memories of children’s bedtime tales. In fact, early packaging featured an image of a cow jumping over the moon in a nod to the classic nursery rhyme, “Hey Diddle Diddle.” In 2016, the brand got a new mascot — Duke the Cow. Over the years, Goetze’s has introduced several additional Cow Tales flavors beyond Original (a caramel-and-vanilla-cream combo), including Caramel Brownie and Oreo, as well as seasonal offerings like Strawberry Smoothie and Caramel Apple. Today, Cow Tails remain a nostalgic treat for adults and are a popular candy for kids.