Fun Facts About Lollipops

You may call one a lolly, sucker, sticky-pop, or lollipop, but we all know what it is. Kids and adults love them because they are sweet, and there are enough flavours to tickle everyone's sweet tooth. No matter your favourite brand, we all have a special lollipop flavour.

While lollipops are a staple worldwide, there are things about lollipops that not all people know. To spread the love and history of lollipops, here are six fun facts about lollipops.

Lollipops Are Older Than You Think

No one knows when exactly the lollipop was first created. Many modern companies claim ownership, but no one has proven actual ownership yet.

It might be because the lollipop travelled through history with us. Our prehistoric ancestors gathered honey from beehives with sticks and licked it off. Ancient people of the Middle East and the Far East boiled fruits and scooped the sticky mixture up with sticks.

The first known confection close to modern lollipops existed during the Middle Ages. Nobles ate boiled sugar by dipping sticks or handles into the goop.

In 1796, Francis Grose, a scholar of the English language, recorded the word "lollipop." Two English words came together to form this word: "lolly," or "tongue," and "pop," like a slap. Apparently, they tasted good, even then.

It may also be the development of the Romani tradition of selling candied red apples on a stick. “Loli phaba” in Romani translates to “red apple” in English.

Tootsie Roll Is the World’s Leading Lollipop Manufacturer

As a child, you wound up with a lollipop every time you went to the doctor's office. Most doctor's offices supply the world-famous Dum Dums, but these aren't the most popular lollipops in the world.

It turns out that most people prefer the chocolate-flavoured centre of Tootsie Pops. The Tootsie Roll company is the world's largest manufacturer of lollipops. They produce about 16 million lollipops per day, far surpassing the production of Dum Dums and other brands.

The Mystery Flavour of Lollipops Isn’t a Mystery

One of the lesser-known facts about lollipops is the origin of the mystery flavour. No, it's not a secret formula made by candy manufacturers to keep consumers guessing. It has a much simpler explanation.

When manufacturers make lollipops, they mix the flavour in a large vat. Once one flavour starts running low, they begin working on the next. The point in production where the two flavours mix forms the mystery flavour.

This process does mean one thing. Each mystery-flavoured lollipop is unique because the mixture of flavours is never the same. So, remember, every time you eat a mystery-flavoured lollipop, it's a different candy.

Lollipops Are the Source of Many World Records

Of course, lollipops would spark competition in their consumption. Lollipops have a few world records of their own.

In Valladolid, Spain, a group organized an event to stand around and lick lollipops. This party made the world record for the most documented people licking lollipops at one time. The headcount was 12,831 people.

See's Candies created the world's largest lollipop. The chocolate candy of the lollipop is 83 cubic feet and the stick holding the candy is almost 12 feet long. It weighs over seven thousand pounds!

There Are Lollipops With Bugs in Them

We always pass by them in candy stores—the little yellow lollipop with what looks like a scorpion inside. Kids and adults gawk at the gaudy candy, hoping it is fake.

However, it is not fake. There are lollipop manufacturers that specialize in producing lollipops with insects inside of them. The bugs are even edible, and people often say cooked scorpion tastes like seafood.

Lollipops Have a Holiday

There are some wild holidays out there. May 4th celebrates Star Wars as a franchise, and July 2nd is World UFO Day. There is even a day in the middle of January for kissing gingers!

Lollipops have their holiday on July 20th. This day is for families to come together and remember childhood memories!

Are You Craving a Lollipop?

Now that you know some fun facts about lollipops, why don’t you satisfy that craving? At the Lolli Shop, we carry candies and confections from all over the world! Visit our online store to get some candy, or call us at 61-7-4599-9167 if you have any questions.