Dum Dums (lollipop)

Dum Dums (stylized as Dum•Dums) are an American brand of spherical lollipops.

Unwrapped Dum Dums

Assorted wrapped Dum Dums

All 16 flavors of Dum Dums. From left to right: cherry, strawberry, fruit punch, orange, butterscotch, pineapple, lemon-lime, cream soda, watermelon, sour apple, cotton candy, blue raspberry, bubble gum, mystery flavor, grape, and root beer.

History

Dum Dums originated from Akron Candy Company in Bellevue, Ohio, in 1924.^[1] I.C. Bahr, the early sales manager of the company, named them, thinking "Dum Dums" was a phrase any child could say. In 1953, Dum Dums were purchased by the Spangler Candy Company and moved manufacturing to Bryan, Ohio.^[2]

Initially, there were 7 flavors: lemon, lime, orange, coconut-pineapple, cherry, grape, and butterscotch.^[1]

Spangler once experimented with plastic sticks instead of the current paper sticks, but they were met with complaints of potential injury due to the possible breakage of the unbending plastic in manufacturing leading to plastic fragments in the candy.^[2]

Flavors

Dum Dums are now^[when?] made in 17 flavors, with new flavors rotating into the mix every so often, most recently a birthday cake flavor for the 100th anniversary.^[3] The "Mystery Flavor" is the result of the end of one batch mixing with the next batch, rather than stopping production to clean machines in between flavors.^[4]

See also

• List of confectionery brands