- For the 1994 hip-hop single by the 69 Boyz, see Tootsee Roll
A patriotic advertisement for Tootsie Rolls during World War I
Tootsie Rolls are chewy chocolate-flavoured candies that have been manufactured in the United States for more than 100 years. The cylindrical cocoa-flavored candies come individually wrapped, and are an American cultural icon. They are one of the best-selling candies in North America.[1] The manufacturer, Tootsie Roll Industries, is based in Chicago, Illinois.
History
In 1896, Leo Hirshfield came to the United States and started his candy in a small shop, when he decided he wanted a chocolate tasting candy that would not melt in the heat, and would be an economical artificial alternative to traditional chocolates. He named the candy after his daughter's nickname, Tootsie. By 1905, production moved to a five-story factory. In 1917, the name of the company was changed to The Sweets Company of America, and the company was a listed company in 1922. In 1931, the Tootsie Pop, a hard-candy lollipop with Tootsie Roll filling was invented, and quickly became popular with Dust Bowl refugees during the Depression era due to its low price.
In 1935 the company was in serious difficulty. Its principal supplier of paper boxes, Joseph Rubin & Sons of Brooklyn, concerned about the possible loss of an important customer, became interested in the possibility of acquiring control. The company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange, but Bernard D. Rubin acquired a list of shareholders and approached them in person in order to purchase their shares. The Rubins eventually achieved control and agreed that Bernard would run the company as president. Bernard D. Rubin was able to steadily increase sales and restore profits, changing the formula of the Tootsie Roll and increasing its size, moving from Manhattan to a much larger plant in Hoboken, N.J., and guiding the company successfully through the difficult war years when vital raw materials were in short supply. When he died in 1948 he had increased the sales volume twelvefold. After his death, his brother William B. Rubin became president and remained president from 1948 to 1962.
During World War II, Tootsie Rolls were added to soldier's rations because of their ability to withstand severe weather conditions.
The name of the company has been Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc., since 1966. In 1996, Tootsie Roll Industries celebrated their 100th anniversary. As of 2003, sixty-million Tootsie Rolls and twenty-million Tootsie Roll Pops are produced every day.
In 1994 the Tootsie Roll was referenced in the double platinum single by the 69 Boyz, named "Tootsee Roll".
A small Lemon Flavored Tootsie Roll.
Jingle
Commercials containing this jingle continue to be shown on TV today, making them (along with the Tootsie Pop commercial) the longest running commercials on American television.
This commercial still plays occasionally and was part of a recent special on the Food Network.
This jingle was recorded in 1976 in NYC by a girl and boy, both the children of jazz musicians and friends of the jingle writer. In the original concept the boy was to sing the solo "whatever it is I think I see, becomes a Tootsie Roll to me." But at 13 his voice was changing and cracked on the high notes. The girl, 9, was then given that part, which took an entire day to record at Blank Tape Studios in Manhattan. Both children were paid $50 each in cash for their work, and never received residuals. Thirty years later, the jingle can still be seen on television and millions of people, young and old, can sing the tune. The girl, now a lawyer, still has the original reel-to-reel recording of the jingle.citation needed
Ingredients
The ingredients of the traditional Tootsie Roll are sugar, corn syrup, partially hydrogenated soybean oil (trans fat), condensed skim milk, cocoa, whey, soy lecithin, orange extract, and artificial and condensed flavors.
Modern Marvels describe Tootsie Rolls as not quite caramels, not quite fudge, but something like both.
Alternate flavors
Along with the cocoa-flavored Tootsie Rolls are the Tootsie Fruit Rolls, whose flavors include cherry, orange, vanilla, lemon and lime. These chewy candies are commonly wrapped in red, orange, blue, yellow and green wrappers, respectively. There are also a variety of Tootsie Pop (Tootsie Roll-filled lolipops) flavors.
External links
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