The History Of The Jelly Bean

Jelly Beans - Photo: Pixabay

Funny as it may sound, but jelly beans do have a fascinating history. Jelly beans have been on the shelves of our shops for around 100 years and have been enjoyed by young and old throughout the world. While Jellybeans only made a there the main appearance in the 1900's jelly beans have been about since the 17th century but were known as Jordan almonds. 

Jelly beans became very popular when they started being sold as penny sweets in many stores across the globe.

Back in the jelly bean early days they were sold in a variety of colors and flavors, but unlike the jelly beans of today they were not sold in variety packets, instead, they were sold in single colors, a bag of reds or a bag of blues etc. Jellybeans then became very popular during seasonal times (eg summer or Christmas) because of the various seasonal colors that were available.

Jellybeans remained the same, with their semi-hard shell and soft chewy center until the mid-1970’s. When the Herman Goelitz Candy Co., Inc. revolutionized the jelly bean forever. This company made the jelly bean into a delicacy by making unusual flavors, such as peach, melon, grape and sour fruit flavors.

The new jelly beans were completely different, they donned a different taste as well as look, and the center was even changed in several flavors from the classic clear jelly to a matching color of the bean.

According to few independent sources, jelly beans were the favorite of former president Ronald Regan. Of all the famous people who loved jelly beans throughout the ages, Regan was the number 1 fan. During his administration, it was quite common to find jelly beans in every almost every room in the white house.

One fact about jelly beans is that many of these little drops of heaven even went into space. One of the space shuttles took up a load of jelly beans for the shuttle crew to snack on while they were up there. I guess that even astronauts need to satisfy their sweet tooth now and then.

The history of jelly beans is not finished evolving as of yet. Every year more and more creative flavors of the jelly bean hit the market. In a few years time, there will be a whole new history for people to talk about and record.

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