The History of Marshmallow Fluff

The first creamy marshmallow concoction was created by French pharmacists as a throat remedy, but marshmallow crème as a confection rose to popularity in 1910s Boston. The first commercial, shelf-stable marshmallow spread, called Snowflake Marshmallow Crème, debuted in 1913. But it was Marshmallow Fluff that would go on to reach iconic status. Archibald Query created the product in 1917 and sold it door-to-door in Somerville, MA. Boston-based candy company Durkee-Mower purchased his recipe in 1917 for just $500 and began to advertise the product on the radio, including on The Ed Sullivan Show. In the 1950s and 1960s, Durkee-Mower invested heavily in branding, creating the red-white-and-blue logo and establishing Marshmallow Fluff as a national brand. However, what truly cemented marshmallow fluff in the hearts (and tastebuds!) of Americans was the fluffernutter sandwich. In fact, marshmallow fluff is still so beloved today that it has even been to space – astronaut Sunita Williams was sent marshmallow fluff so she could make fluffernutters while on a long mission on the ISS in 2012.