An Out of this World History of Astro Pop Lollipops

by Murphy Patterson

3, 2, 1… blastoff!  Astro Pops are delicious, and if you haven't tried them, then you need to get on that now (by ordering some from Candyfavorites.com, of course), but have you ever wondered how these astronomically delicious, out-of-this-world candies came to be? In all of their cherry, passion fruit, and pine-apply goodness, these pops have a rich history that will blow your mind.

The Astro Pop story began in 1963, the height of the Cold War, when two rocket scientists decided to quit their jobs working for Rocketdyne, which was part of the space program in El Segundo, California, and dedicate their careers to the lofty ambition of creating a lollipop like none other.   

The candy structure of their new lollipop was modeled after a three-stage rocket. The two were actual rocket scientists, so they created a custom-built cone wrapping machine to mold the candy, giving Astro Pops their signature aerodynamic shape. Who said it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to design a fantastic piece of candy?

Hot liquid candy was poured directly into the mold; then, a paper stick was added and topped with a thin layer of wax until the candy hardened and the post was firmly in place.

Sputnik had circled the Earth and the dream of reaching the moon had yet to be fulfilled – that wouldn’t occur for another five years- so this iconic lollipop couldn't have been created at a better time for the people who wanted to consume them or for the company that tried to sell them. The dream of visiting outer space was on everyone’s mind, and the space-themed candy made it seem like they were one step closer to living their dream. The company sold millions, and the pops were, no pun intended, flying off the shelves.

Spangler Candy (who makes the iconic Dum Dums and Circus Peanuts, to name but a few classics in their brand portfolio) acquired the Astro Pops brand from the Nelson Candy Company in 1987 and branded the candy as the "longest-lasting lollipop on Earth." The flavor profile of the Astro Pops expanded, ranging from sour grape to vanilla.

In the early 2000s, due to a potential insurance liability issue stemming from a  lawsuit supposedly caused by the lollipop's pointed top, Spangler changed the original shape, placing the stick at the tip rather than the base.  As you can surmise, an upside rocket design did not go over well with consumers, and then a sharp decline in sales lead to Astro Pops being discontinued in 2004.

But wait! This story does have a happy ending. Ellia Kassof, CEO of Leaf Brands, was a huge fan of Astro Pops and began getting frustrated when he could not find his favorite space-age lollipop. Kassof spent years negotiating to acquire the rights to Astro Pops and was finally successful in 2010.

Since the original machinery used to create the signature shape no longer existed, Leaf Brands had to work extra hard to build the correct mold, even though they knew it would take time. Now, Astro Pops are back and better than ever in more flavors than you can count. So don't worry, space-crazy fans, Astro Pops are here, and they are ready for takeoff!