Mike and Ike is a brand of fruit-flavored candies that were first introduced in 1940 by the company Just Born, Inc. The origin of the candy's name remains unknown, but there are many theories on how the candy got its name. Mike and Ikes were originally all fruit flavored but now come in several different varieties which have been introduced over the years.
Video Mike and Ike
History
The Mike and Ike brand was first introduced in 1940 by Just Born, Inc. which is located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. There are different theories on how the candy got its name which have over time come to light. The name could have come from the comic strip Mike and Ike (They Look Alike), however by the 1940s the comic strip had ended. Another theory for the name involves the Matina Brothers, two of whom were nicknamed "Mike" & "Ike". Author Dean Jensen writes that the younger twin brothers became very popular in America to an extent that a boxed candy was named after them. The brothers were billed as circus midgets and had a role in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz as munchkins. Other theories include a company-wide contest, a vaudeville song titled "Mike and Ike", and the Eisenhower era which was nicknamed ("IKE"). Just Born acquired the Rodda Candy Company in 1953 which allowed it to produce new flavors of the candy that included cotton candy. Additional flavors such as Root Beer came in the 1960s, since then different varieties have been introduced on and off.
Maps Mike and Ike
Candy
Mike and Ike are oblong fruit-flavored chewy candies that come in several colors and varieties, including cherry, orange, lime, lemon, and strawberry. Popular varieties are Tropical Typhoon, Berry Blast and Jolly Joes. Each candy has 7 calories, 0 grams of fat, and approximately 1 gram of sugar. The candy is kosher and gluten-free.
They are similar to Hot Tamales, another candy introduced by the same manufacturer in 1950, though they are not spicy.
Varieties
Just Born produces several varieties of Mike and Ikes, including:
Retro/limited varieties include:
- Lem and Mel (Lemon and watermelon) flavor (launched 1991; reissued 2013)
- Cherri and Bubb (Cherry and bubble gum) flavor (launched 1989; reissued 2013)
- Strawbana (launched 1991)
- Mike and Ike - Strawberries n' Cream (launched 2000)
- Mike and Ike - Oranges n' Cream (launched 2000)
- Cherry Cola (launched 2004, reissued 2016)
- Buttered Popcorn (launched 2004, reissued 2016)
- Mike and Ike Minion Mix - Blueberry and Banana flavors (launched 2014)
- Mike and Ike Valentines Mix (Seasonal)
- Mike and Ike Mummy's Mix (Seasonal)
- Mike and Ike Merry Mix (Seasonal) (launched 2015)
- Mike and Ike Sundae Sweets (Limited edition)
- Mike and Ike Cotton Candy (Limited edition)
- Mike and Ike Rootbeer Float (Limited edition)
There are also seasonal packages for Easter in which the Mike and Ike flavors are formed as jelly beans.
Media
In April 2012, they ran an ad campaign based on the premise that Mike and Ike were "breaking up" due to "creative differences"; the packaging showed one or the other name scratched out. The campaign was intended to capture the interest of younger consumers. In 2013 the company announced Mike and Ike would reunite. In addition to a re-designed packaging and juicier tasting candy, a trailer for a movie was released, entitled, The Return of Mike and Ike.
References
External links
- Mike and Ike website
- Mike and Ike facebook page
- Mike and Ike twitter account
- Mike and Ike Instagram
Source of article : Wikipedia
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