Tootsie Rolls are, quite literally, a national institution. For over 100 years, the Tootsie Roll has charmed the young and old alike – all over the world. In 1896, Austrian immigrant Leo Hirshfield brought his recipe for Tootsie Rolls to the U.S. He began selling them in a small confectionery store in New York City. He named the candy “Tootsie??? rolls after his 5 year old daughter who was graced with the nickname “Tootsie???. Hirshfield’s success continued to grow over the years, and so did the Tootsie Roll name. The recipe for Tootsie rolls has never changed over the years, nor has their signature wrapping/packaging – making Tootsie Rolls one of the most recognizable candies of yester-year.
I adore nostalgic candy and have been eating Tootsie Rolls since I was a kid. I mean, who doesn’t love Tootsie Rolls? They are chocolaty, chewy little morsels of goodness. They are a low fat candy and they are simply irresistible. There is something so pleasant about biting into a soft, sweet nugget of Tootsie Roll. Whether you get the original size, mini-midgees, midgees, snack size or even the granddaddy of all Tootsie Rolls – the GIANT roll, you can’t go wrong! Tootsie rolls are a chocolate flavored candy that will never go out of style. No other candy has ever come close to matching that unbeatable taste, freshness and likeability that the Tootsie Roll has. Today, Tootsie Rolls are produced using the same basic recipe that Hirshfield used over a century ago. About 62 million Tootsie Rolls are produced every day and they never stay on the shelves long! My grandmother used to keep a jar of Tootsie Rolls in her kitchen. Even after my Grandfather lost his teeth and began wearing dentures he still insisted on eating the sweet little candies. He claimed that he ate them as a child and would continue to eat them in spite of the “trouble??? they caused. He’d sneak a few, hand off some to me and we’d sit on the porch savoring the flavor of the little “rolls???. I’ll never forget that. Tootsie Rolls definitely get the Sheriff’s badge of approval for being one sweet, tasty and classic candy.
Some Additional Interesting History:
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 until 1962. In 1966 the company adopted its current name of Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc.