The History of Dum-Dums Lollipops

Dum-Dums were originally created in 1924 by the Akron Candy Company in Bellevue, Ohio. A company executive selected the name because it would be easy for children to say and remember. The first flavors included lemon, lime, orange, coconut-pineapple, cherry, grape, and butterscotch. In 1953, Spangler Candy purchased Dum-Dums, moved operations to Bryan, Ohio, and stepped up both marketing and production. Around this time, banks and doctors' offices began giving away Dum-Dums, increasing their popularity. By 1966, Dum-Dums were being made in 10 different flavors: lemon, coconut-pineapple, butterscotch, lime, strawberry, grape, chocolate, orange, cherry, and raspberry. In 1995, Spangler introduced Blu Raspberry Dum-Dums. The flavor became massively popular, in part due to the bright blue color it left behind on the tongue. In 2001, the brand introduced the Mystery Flavor Dum-Dum. Today, Dum-Dums remain extremely popular. They are often given out at Halloween and are also popular with both kids and adults all year round.