in 1924, the akron candy company developed a small hard candy on a stick. and when it came to naming it, the sales manager came up with “dum dums” because he thought that kids would be able to say it. simple, colorful, and cheap, dum dums soon became an institution.
and on to the mystery –
have you ever wondered why some dum dums have wrappers with question marks where the flavor is normally printed? this was a marketing idea that made production run more smoothly and eating them more fun. the mystery flavor pop is a mixture of two flavors that come together when the end of one batch of candy meets the beginning of the next batch. rather than shutting down to clean it out between flavors, they made pops out of the combination of flavors – the tail end of the old, and the beginning of the new. the candy lines keep running, and the mystery flavor pops are a surprise treat every time.
p.s. for me, this was kind of like finding out about the tooth fairy. if you still believe, tell yourself that you never read this.
—
credit: mentalfloss magazine
Fun fact! Next time I run across a dum-dum, I hope I get a question mark.
LikeLiked by 1 person
those are always my favs, just for the surprise )
LikeLike
A veritable education for an Englishman – ‘candy’; ‘dum dum’ and ‘pop’ – fascinating we don’t use those words yet they seem to convey the ‘sweet’ you write of perfectly! An enjoyable read no less.
LikeLiked by 1 person
thanks, mike. it’s good to learn something useless and fascinating every day, i always say.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Couldn’t agree more!
LikeLiked by 1 person
sharing…I need some “happy” on my page! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
great, susie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Never heard of them but I love the idea! The Spanish lollies Chupa Chups have a similar alliteration but there the name comes from the verb chupar, to suck.
LikeLiked by 2 people
ah – makes sense )
LikeLike
That is cool – we don’t have Dum Dumds here in Canada. the question marks are an awesome operational idea. Cleaning and resetting production lines is always a major cost.
LikeLiked by 1 person
win- win, paul )
LikeLike
Lol we don’t have dums dums here but they sound nom nom nom lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
ooh, they are a sweet little treat )
LikeLiked by 1 person
Too late. You can’t un-ring a bell. Thanks a lot.
@ ramblings… What do you mean you don’t have them? I thought dum-dums were ubiquitous. Like cancer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
oops – sorry. well, jen from ramblings is from down under, and they have different kinds of lollies there –
LikeLike
See. Goes to show you. A little mystery is good no matter what you’re selling: candy or yourself to a new date? 😀 😀 😀 What about your new boss? Nah. He better know you can do the job first.
😈
LikeLiked by 1 person
great points, all, karen – )
LikeLike
😀 😀
LikeLike
I agree with you! I don’t know if I’m happy or sad that I now know why the strange mystery suckers exist! Thanks for sharing this
>
LikeLiked by 1 person
i’m kind of a fan of a little bit of mystery, too roy )
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love a good dum dum!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
me too!
LikeLike
sometimes, dum dums feel like the official candy of the colorado rockies.
i love knowing this. watch me drop the knowledge on my kidlets.
LikeLiked by 1 person
hah, eli. and as if your girls weren’t impressed enough with your river of odd facts. )
LikeLike
River of Odd Facts … that might be the name of my blog in my next life.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No wonder I never met a mystery Dum Dum I liked! I prefer my flavors to be pure, and was unaware this was how those Riddler pops were born…
LikeLiked by 2 people
yes, there is a dark secret behind them, squirrel )
LikeLike
That explains why I could never figure out what the flavor was. Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
that’s so true, me either, kitty )
LikeLike
I think you know have to be eliminated by the dum dum executives, Beth. Look over your shoulder, please!
No, that’s a great idea on their part to save time and money. I don’t think you spoiled a thing, because the question mark still has a mystery flavor undereath, my friend. ))
LikeLiked by 1 person
if i go missing……. and yes, there is always a mystery flavor )
LikeLike
Wait, I thought it was for us to guess the flavor? Now you are saying it could be Rootbeer-Grape or some other type of thing? Ugh.
LikeLiked by 1 person
indeed, it could be butterscotch and nacho !
LikeLike
What a very sensible idea! Waste not want not.
LikeLiked by 1 person
it is, but i do love a bit of mystery too – )
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love Dum Dums! A delectable institution! Great post, had never heard about the mystery suckers. Makes me love them even more.
LikeLiked by 1 person
me too, keep your eye out for the wrappers with the question marks, plcm!
LikeLike
I had never noticed ?-flavored Dum Dums but I’m enchanted by them, and also by the kind of simple ingenuity that turns the problem of cleaning the machinery from one flavor to another into something that kids would see as almost folkloric.
LikeLiked by 1 person
it is kind of the perfect solution – keep a eye out for the ?????? marks
LikeLike
How intriguing! Thanks for sharing that. And it’s such a great, economical, efficient idea!
LikeLiked by 1 person
glad you enjoyed it, pif )
LikeLike
How cool! I had no idea that was why the question marks! I always figured they just randomly did that as a mystery flavor! LOL! One of my favorite craft projects when I was a small kids was we had Dum Dums and tied a white kleenex on with a white piece of yarn, then took a black marker and added two eyes and a nose and made a ghost puppet — that i got to eat after I played with it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
me too, rachel and i remember those ghosts!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Pingback: Commenting for Candy*! | Not a Punk Rocker
Oh gosh Beth, my kids keep choosing the mystery flavored one at the pediatrician’s office.. I’m always asked why there are questions marks around the wrapper and how they came up with a mystery dum dum. I now have the story for them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
and one more of those eternal questions you can answer )
LikeLike
The question marks were always my favorite.
LikeLiked by 1 person
yes, they were always exciting )
LikeLike
The mystery of ?? pops solved! I like this explanation, Beth and it doesn’t ruin the fun of the crossing of flavors! I love it when banks have Dum Dum’s and I grab a couple each time, perfect for a short ride from the grandies’ home to Nana’s apartment! Smiles!
LikeLiked by 1 person
it is funny, because i am so used to seeing them everywhere and just grabbing them for the kids, small enough for just a little treat, and they work wonders )
LikeLike