Pixy Stix

File:PixyStixProduct.jpg

A packet of small Pixy Stix

Pixy Stix is a sweet and sour powdered candy usually packaged in a wrapper that resembles a drinking straw. Pixy Stix is a registered trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vevey, Switzerland.

The candy is usually poured into the mouth from the wrapper, which is made out of plastic or paper. Pixy Stix contain dextrose, citric acid, and artificial and natural flavors.

History

Pixy Stix were invented by Sunline Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri. The concept for this powdered candy originated in 1942 and was derived from a penny drink mix sold as Fruzola Jr. by the Fruzola Company in Salt Lake City, Utah. When J. Fish Smith found that kids were eating the sweet and sour powder straight from the package, he modified the formula and branded it as Lik-M-Aid.

An affiliated company, Fruzola Company of St. Louis, which later became Sunline, Inc., was founded in 1952 by Menlo F. Smith to manufacture and market Lik-M-Aid nationwide. In 1959 the product was packaged in color-striped straws and introduced as Pixy Stix. Several years later Lik-M-Aid was modified with a multi-compartment package containing two flavors and a candy stick used to dip the candy out of the package.

In 1962, Sunline, Inc. developed and introduced a new product with a similar sweet/sour taste sensation in the form of candy tablets under the brand name SweeTarts which have become highly popular with children and even some adults. In 1965, Sunline, Inc. acquired Breaker Confections Company of Chicago, Illinois, and began producing a candy coated version of SweeTarts called Spree. All of these products have been marketed throughout the United States, Canada and various foreign countries.

In 1970, Sunline organized a new company called Concorde Confections which built a new plant to produce Tangy Taffy and other candy bar products. In 1972, the company entered into a joint venture with The Quaker Company to develop and produce a line of products sold under the Willy Wonka brand which were introduced in conjunction with the movie "Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory". In 1975, Sunline acquired Quaker's interest in the venture and established the Willy Wonka Candy Company.

Sunline, which later became The Sunmark Companies, was sold to Rowntree Mackintosh of the UK in 1986. Rowntree was in turn acquired by Nestlé. All of the Sunmark brands have now incorporated the Willy Wonka label.

Flavours

• Grape
• Maui punch
• Orange
• Cherry

In popular culture

Pixy Stix is one of the ingredients used by Allison Reynolds (Ally Sheedy) to make her sandwich in the lunchroom scene of the 1985 movie The Breakfast Club.

See also

• Sherbet - a fizzy powder similar to that found in Pixy Stix