Popsicle® History

Popsicle HistoryThe Popsicle® brand is an American Classic! Beloved by the young and young at heart, Popsicle® pops come in a variety of flavors, colors, and textures everyone can enjoy. In fact, the Popsicle® family includes more than 30 creative variations on the original Popsicle® product.

The Popsicle® ice pop was accidentally invented in 1905 by 11-year-old Frank Epperson. Epperson left a mixture of powdered soda and water and a stirring stick in a cup on his porch. That night San Francisco experienced record low temperatures, and Epperson awoke the next morning to find a frozen pop that would eventually become a favorite American treat.

An Accidental Discovery Becomes A Popular Product

Epperson originally named his creation the "Epsicle," and it quickly became popular with his school friends. It wasn't until 1923, however, while running a lemonade stand at an amusement park in Oakland, Cal., that he realized the commercial possibilities of his invention. Epperson changed the name of his treat to "Popsicle," after his children’s frequent requests for "Pop’s ’sicle," and applied for a patent. The patent for frozen ice on a stick was issued August 19, 1924. Around 1925, Epperson sold the rights to the brand name Popsicle® to the Joe Lowe Company in New York. By 1928, Epperson had earned royalties on more than 60 million Popsicle® ice pops.

The Growth Of Popsicle®

Popsicle The popularity of the Popsicle® brand continued to soar through the 1950s. Many families moved to the suburbs and could afford modern conveniences, like refrigerator/freezers. It was at this time that the Popsicle® multipack was introduced and sold in grocery stores.

In 1965, the Popsicle® brand became part of Consolidated Foods Corporation. At that time, the company offered 34 different flavors with new and exciting treats introduced continuously.

In 1986, the Gold Bond Ice Cream Company in Green Bay, Wis., purchased the U.S. operations of Popsicle Industries. Three years later, Gold Bond was purchased by Unilever, and in 1993 the name was changed to the Good Humor-Breyers® Ice Cream Company. Today, Popsicle® is the No. 1 kids’ novelty brand.