Popsicle is the most popular brand of ice pops in the United States with over two billion sold annually. What started out as a frozen drink on a stick has grown to a national brand with over thirty varieties and almost 90 years of production.

The Accidental Invention

The first Popsicle was an accidental invention made by 11 year old Frank Epperson in 1905. Epperson had been mixing soda from a powdered mix and he accidentally left the cup and its contents, along with the stirring stick, out on the porch over night.

That evening, temperatures in San Francisco reached a record low and the cup of soda froze solid. The next morning Epperson discovered the frozen drink and named it "popsicle" because it had turned into an icicle made of pop.

America Meets the Popsicle

The idea for the popsicle never left Epperson and in 1923 he began selling the frozen drinks on a stick to children on Neptune Beach in California. The frozen pops were an instant hit and Epperson applied for a patent and eventually sold the rights to the Joe Lowe Company in New York.

During the Great Depression, the classic Twin Popsicle was introduced. This twin pop included two separate sticks joined by one bi-lobed pop that could be broken in two. The twin pop was invented so that two children could share one pop for five cents. The twin pop is still in production and is very popular today.

Brand Expansion

In 1989 the rights to the Popsicle name were purchased by Good Humor, a division of Unilever. Significant expansion of the brand followed with the creation of the "icicle" family of products.

The "icicle" trademark covers products including the Creamsicle, Dreamsicle, and Fudgsicle. Variations of the original Popsicle, including sugar-free, slow melt, and Yosicle (a yogurt filled Popsicle), have helped the brand maintain popularity and relevance throughout the decades.

With the popularity of Popsicle unwaning and endless flavor possibilities, the Popsicle brand of frozen pop is sure to delight Americans for generations to come.